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CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN 



JUNE 10-16, 1906 



REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS, WITH FULL 

DESCRIPTION OF THE MANY EVENTS 

OF ITS SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION 



OLD HOME WEEK 



MERIDEN, CONN., THE "SILVER CITY 



PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE GENERAL 
CENTENNIAL COMMITTEE. 



THE JOURNAL PUBLISHING CO. 
1906. 



COMMITTEE OX PUIiLlCATION, 

GEORGE M. CURTIS,, FRANCIS ATWATER 

AND HERMAN HESS. 

COMPILED BY 
FRANCIS ATWATER. 



•/^ J 



i'3 

') 



AUTHORIZED BY TOWN MEETING 



THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 

BY VOTE OF THE TOWN WAS PASSED AT AN ADJOURNED 

MEETING HELD OCTOBER lO, I904. 

(Adopted Without a Dissenting Vote.) 

Resolved— That the one-hundredth anniversary of the Town of Meriden 
be celebrated in 1906 and that a committee consisting of the first se- 
lectman, the town clerk of Meriden, the mayor of the City of Meriden, 
the president of the Meriden Business Men's association and the pres- 
ident of the Meriden Board of Trade, be and hereby are appointed a 
committee with power to select ten other residents of Meriden repre- 
senting its important business and professional interests, who together, 
shall form a committee of fifteen and who shall have power to arrange 
for, direct, and carry out all plans for such celebration on such dates in 
1906 as they shall select as the most appropriate ; shall have power to 
appoint any and all additional committees in their opinion necessary to 
the celebration, but shall not in any manner obligate the Town of Mer- 
iden for any expense incurred without a specific appropriation for 
the purpose of the celebration. 



GENERAL COMMITTEE 



GEORGE M. CURTIS, President. 

FRANCIS ATWATER, Corresponding Secretary. 

HERMAN HESS, Recording Secretary. 



WILBUR F. DAVIS, 
CHARLES F. MONROE, 



DEXTER L. BISHOP, 
JAMES H. WHITE, 



EDWARD T. BRADSTREET, WILLIAM A. KELSEY, 



EDGAR J. DOOLITTLE, 
GEORGE W. COUCH, 
THOMAS L. REILLY, 



CLARENCE P. BRADLEY, 
GEORGE W. ]\IILLER, 
CHARLES H. TREDENNICK. 



CEXTEXXIAL OF MERIDEN. 




GEORGE MUNSON CURTIS, 
Treasurer International Silver Company. 

PRESIDENT CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



-w 



1#^ 







FRANCIS ATWATER, 
President Journal Publishing Co. 

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 




HERMAN HESS, 
Town and City Clerk. 

RECORDING SECRETARY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. 



CETENNIAL OF >IERIDEN. 




HON. THOMAS L. REILLY, 
Mayor City of Meriden. 



HO.\. WILBUR F. DAVIS, 
Ex-Judge of Probate. 




HOX. EDGAR J. DUOLITTLE, 
Ex-Mayor City of Meriden. 



JA-AIES H. WHITE. 
President Wilcox & Wliite Company. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




CHARLES H. TREDENNICK, DR- EDWARD T. BRADSTREET, 

President Meriden Board of Trade. Medical Examiner for Meriden. 




\li.l.i.\M A. Kl-J,SiA", 
President Kelsey Press Co. 



CHARLES F. .MONROE, 
President of the C. F. Monroe Co. 



10 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




GEORGE W. MILLER, 
Selectman Town of Meriden. 



GEORGE W. COUCH, 
Ex-Representative Town of jNIeriden. 




CLARENCE P. BRADLEY, DEXTER L. BISHOP, 

Director Bradley & Hubbard Mfg. Co. Ex-Pres. Meriden Business Men's Ass'n. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



II 





FLOYD CURTIS, 
Cashier First National Bank. 

TREASURER, MERIDEN CENTENNIAL. 



HARRY T. KINXt, 
Member Board of Park Commission. 

AGENT GENERAL COMMITTEE. 



12 CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



ORIGIN OF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 



The decision to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the incoi 
poration of Meriden as a town, was the result of long consideration an 
came about finally by the crystallization of public opinion in its favo 
Long before any definite steps were taken the subject was discussed b 
the residents of the town after their attention had been called to its in 
|)ortance by frequent references in the public prints and communicatior 
from and interviews with prominent citizens during the early part c 
1904. 

The first definite steps toward bringing about the Centennial wei 
taken by the Meriden Business Men's Association at a meeting held 0< 
tober 6, 1904, just preceding the adjourned annual town meeting of thi 
year, when the following resolutions were unanimously adopted : 

Resolved, That the adjourned annual town meeting to be held Monda; 
October 10, be asked to approve the proposal to celebrate the one-hui 
dredth anniversary of the Town of Meriden in 1906, and to appoii 
a committee representing the various interests of the town to formi 
late, direct and carry out all plans for the event ; said committee to ha^ 
power to appoint all necessary sub-committees to assist them in an 
capacity. 

Resolved, That this association suggest to the adjourned annual tow 
meeting that the committee consist of the first selectman, the tow 
clerk, the mayor of the city, the president of the Board of Trade an 
the president of the Meriden Business Men's association, who sha 
have power to select ten other members from the important busine; 
and professional interests of the town. 

These resolutions were presented to the adjourned town meeting c 
October 10, 1904, and approved without a dissenting voice. W. I 
Squire then presented the following resolution which was also unan 
mously adopted: 

Resolved, That the one-hundredth anniversary of the town of Meride 
be celebrated in 1906 and that a committee consisting of the first S( 
lectman, the town clerk of Meriden, the mayor of the City of Meridei 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. I3 

the president of the Meriden Business Men's association and the pres- 
ident of the Meriden Board of Trade, be and hereby are appointed 
a committee with power to select ten other residents of Meriden rep- 
resenting its important business and professional interests, who to- 
gether, shall form a committee of fifteen and who shall have power 
to arrange for, direct, and carry out all plans for such celebration on 
such dates in 1906 as they shall select as the most appropriate ; shall 
have power to appoint any and all additional committees in their 
opinion necessary to the celebration, but shall not in any manner ob- 
ligate the Town of Meriden for any expense incurred without a spe- 
cific appropriation for the purpose of the celebration. 

Under this vote of the town those who were made members of the 
committee of five were First Selectman George W. Miller, Town Clerk 
Herman Hess, Mayor George S. Seeley, President Francis Atwater, of 
the Meriden Board of Trade, and President Dexter L. Bishop, of the 
Meriden Business Men's Association. This committee met November 
15 with Mr. Miller as chairman and Mr. Hess as clerk, and completed 
the committee by the selection of the following gentlemen : 

George M. Curtis, treasurer International Silver Company. 

Ex- Judge Wilbur F. Davis, attorney-at-law. 

Charles F. Monroe, president of the C. F. Monroe Company. 

Dr. E. T. Bradstreet, president the City Medical Society. 

Hon. E. J. Doolittle, ex-mayor of the City of Meriden. 

George W. Couch, ex-representative of the Town of Meriden. 

James H. White, president the Wilcox & White Company. 

William A. Kelsey, president the Kelsey Press Company. 

C. P. Bradley, director the Bradley & Hubbard Mfg. Company. 

Three days later the committee met and elected George M. Curtis 
as president ; Herman Hess as recording secretary and Francis Atwater 
as corresponding secretary. This committee was later somewhat 
changed when Charles H. Tredennick succeeded Mr. Atwater as pres- 
ident of the board of trade, and became a member, although Mr. Atwa- 
ter also continued on the General Committee. At the city election in 
1905, Hon. Thomas L. Reilly was elected mayor and became a member 
of the committee, succeeding Hon. George S. Seeley. 

Few people, aside from those who were in active touch with the 
General Committee have any idea of the immense amount of work that 
was done by them. From the very beginning it was apparent that in 



14 CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 

the selection of George M. Curtis as president, the one man had been 
selected who was best fitted to assume the heavy obligations of the office 
and carry them to a successful conclusion with honor to the town and 
to himself. 

Mr. Curtis had associated with him on the General Committee men 
who labored industriously, intelligently and ably to complete the multi- 
tudinous details of the great celebration and not one of them shirked 
those duties in the slightest degree. To their rare devotion, and keen 
business ability, the people of Aleriden are indebted in no small way. 

The first act the committee was called upon to perform was to de- 
termine the character and scope of the celebration. With the actual 
time a year and a half away, any programme adopted must, of necessity, 
have been purely tentative. With the new Federal building, the new 
Town hall and an armory in sight, the dedication of these buildings were 
part of the plan decided on. One by one, however, these faded away, 
the Federal building to wait for more money, the armory for favorable 
legislative action, and the Town hall by countless delays. 

In nearly every other respect, however, the good judgment of the 
committee was shown in the carrying out of their plans, although some- 
what changed in character or scope by the changed conditions which 
arose from time to time. The hearty manner in which Meriden, as a 
whole, entered into the plan of the Centennial made the work much 
easier, as attraction after attraction ofi^ered itself and event after event 
came to be booked, until a fine programme was the result. 

The character and dates of the Centennial having been determined, 
the committee sought to place on sub-committees those men whom they 
felt could be relied on to back up their efiforts to carry out the trust 
the people of Meriden had imposed on them. The result was the selec- 
tion of committees who did noble work with scarcely an exception, as 
follows : 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



15 



PARADES AND GRAND STANDS 




J. S. Stokes, Chairman. 



C. B. BowEN, Secretary. 



WCLKUR \V. FlXNEGAN, 

Isaac B. Hyatt, 
Constant K. Decherd, 
Joseph DeCantillon, 
Albert A. May. 
Albert L. Stetson, 



Frank E. Fowler, 
SiG. Bernstein, 
David Bloomfield. 
IMatthew Beatty, 
Henry L. Morehouse, 
Frank L. Cowing, 
Cornelius Kooreman. 



IG 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



INVITATION 




H. Wales Lines, Chairman. 



George H. Wilcox, Secretary. 



Wilbur F. Rogers, 
William L. Taylor, 
Martin B. Schenck, 
Henry L. Schleiter, 
Fred L. Yale, 
Nathaniel L. Bradley, 
Julius H. Yale, 
E. W. Smith, 
Frank Stevenson, 
William G. Warnock, 
Henry Warren, 
John Tait, 



George Rollins, 
William B. Cashen, 
Henry B. Beach, 
A. W. Tracy, 
Frank H. Gushing, 
Julius Augur, 
Henry E. Bushnell, 
Robert G. Church, 
Eli W'alker, 
John Q. Thayer, 
Thomas H. Warnock, 
Edgar J. Perkins, 
Ransom L. Baldwin. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



17 



TRANSPORTATION 





XL. IL. O 



oMiTH, Chairman. 



W. H. Russell, Secretary. 



S. Olin P.a.rker, 
Charles S. Palmer, 

L. C. HiNMAN, 

W. P. Bristol, 
Ernest B. Moss, 



W. G. Hooker, 
Frederick L. Huntingtox, 
Charles H. Tredenxick, 
Willis I. Fenn, 
Frank P. Evarts. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



MUSIC AND PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT 




Robert Caktek. Chairman. 



G. 1'"rank Goudale, Secretary. 



James F. Gill, 
George Swift, 
Fred B. Hill, 
John L. Rutherford, 
Arthur M. Brooks, 
Albert R. Chamberlain, 
Hugh F. Hagarty, 
George G. Marble, 



P"rank Treat Southwick, 
Robert A. H. Clark, 
Willard S. Pain, 
Thomas H. Maguire, 
William E. T. Boole, 
Henry W. Hirschfeld, 
August Maschmeyer, 
Thomas A. Benham, 



Tohn W. Fearnley. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



19 



HISTORICAL ADDRESSES, EVENTS AND RELICS 






G. M. Curtis, Chairman. 



R. J. jNIerriam, Secretary. 



Eli C. Birdsey, 
Willis J. Prouty, 
H. DwiGHT Beebe, 
Nelson C. Johnson, 
Walter S. Billard, 
Charles H. S. Davis, 
John W. Curtis, 
E. B. Everitt, 



Silas B. Hall, 
Marshall A. Fowler, 
Waldo C- Twiss, 
George B. Murdock, 
Julius Ives, 
Clayton F. Hall, 
Charles J. Hinsdale, 
Henry S. Pratt. 



20 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



LICENSES AND PRIVILEGES 




1 






1 




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1 


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M. 


i 


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1 


QHi 



A. J). .Meeks, Chairman. 



Geo. L. King, Secretary. 



p. T. O'Brien, Treasurer, 
Edward M. Beckley, 
Eugene P. Golden, 



John F. Williams, 
C. J. Heineman, 
William C. Mueller, 



W. Irving Wilcox, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



21 



DECORATIONS AND STREET FAIR 




G. F. Rogers, Chairman. 



Arthur E. jMiller, 
Willis N. Barber, 
Burton L. Lawton, 
Charles H. Cox, 
Hubert Little, 
Phineas T. Ives, 
J. Emerson Brown, 



Adam Orr, 
Philip J. Handel, 
Leland Ives, 
Louis P. Ellis, 
Edward E. Schmelzer, 
Elmer E. Spencer, 
I. Burton Miller. 



22 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



COMPLETION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS 




F. D. Smith, Chairman, 



C. E. Stockder, Secretary. 
August Yost, 
Martin H. Browjj, 
George N. Morse, 
F. W. Wakefield, 



George E. Bicknelu 
Henry T. Downs, 
Leroy C. Pardee, 
E. A. Merriman, 
Cornelius J. Danaher, 



James R. Sloane. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



23 



REPRESENTING WALLINGFORD, THE MOTHER TOWN 




L. M. Hubbard, Chairman. 



Fkaray Hale, Secretary. 



O. H. D. Fowler, 
Rev. Joseph E. Wildman, 
Walter J. Leavenworth, 
George D. Munson, 
William H. Newton, 



Frank Wallace, 
J. W. Lane, 
W- F. Lane, 
Theodore F. Lane, 
Charles H. Tibbits. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES 





W. H. Catlin, Chairman. 



F. C. Edgerton, Secretary. 



Homer A. Curtiss, 
A. H. Gardner, 
Charles A. Learned, 
Rev. Albert J. Lord, 
Rev. Joel S. Ives, 
Rev. John Lynch, 
Rev. J. Harry Holden, 
Rev. Robert A. Ashworth, 
Almon J. Fletcher, 
Rev. John H. Grant, 
Saxton B. Little, 
Rev. Arthur T. Randall, 
Rev. a. van Oppen, 
Rev. John Cooney, 

L L Gardner. 



Rev. N. F. X. Schneider, 
Rev. Arthur E. Harris, 
Rev. Frank B. Stockdale, 
Rev. Robert Larson, 
Rev. C- R. Tappert, 
Rev. Samuel F. Glaser, 
Rev. David Fridlund, 
Rev. J. \V. Cunningham, 
Rev. R. J. Beach, 
Rev. J. Huber, 
Rev. Joseph Culkowski, 
Rev. L Newton Phelps, 
Edward B. Manning, 
Charles H. Pinks, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



25 



FIREWORKS AND ILLUMINATIONS 





F. S. Fay, Chairman. 



E. B. Whitney, Secretary. 



Charles E. Flynn, 
Charles A. King* 
Herman Minkwitz, 
Oliver Swan, 
G. p. Smith, 
Napoleon J. St. Cyri 



Joshua Shute, 
Arthur E. Cope, 
John A. Thomas, 
B. W. Murphy, 
W. P. Bristol, 
William C. Homan, 



E. T. Sills. 



26 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



FINANCE 




J. H. White, Chairman. 



C. F. Rockwell, Secretar}-. 



Floyd Curtis, Treasurer, 
Frank A. Stevens, 
William H. Lyon, 
G. M. Clark, 
John C- Byxbee, 
Cornelius W. Cahill, 
Irving L. Holt, 
Eugene A. Hall, 
Benjamin C- KennarDi 



Charles L. Upham, 
Arthur S. Lane, 
George E. Savage, 
Henry Dryhurst. 
Wilbur H. Squire, 
John L. Billard, 
Charles S. Perkins, 
George M. Lucas, 
Junius S. Norton, Jr. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



27 



PUBLICITY AND SOUVENIRS 





K 


V 


1 


1 


I 




] 


ll-**- 


, 


] 


1 




F. E. Sands, Chairman. 



H. T. King, Secretan-. 



William C. Com stock, 

Louis Fisk, 

George H. Yea mans, 



Charles T. Dodd, 
William A. Hickox, 
Henry C Bibeau, 



Frederick E. Bemis, 



28 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 

RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT 




A. Chamberlain'. Chairman. 



C. M. \ViLLi.\MS, Secretary. 
Edward K. Allen, 
g. h. bowker, 
George A. Fav, 
Charles C- Clock, 
Charles N. Foster. 
John M. Nagel, 
Patrick Garvey, 
Hermon E. Hubbard, 
Walter Hubbard, 
William B. Ives, 
James Kane, 
John S. Lane, 
Winfield R. Coe, 
Russell Hall, 
Seth J. Hall. 
Christopher S. Howard, 
Michael G. Reynolds, 
Charles L. Rockwell, 
Anthony S. Thomas, 
Benjamin W. Collins, 
James A. Curtiss, 
J. D. Eggleston, 



Charles F. Linsley, 
John McWeeney, 
Edward Miller, 
H. H. Miller. 
William W. Mosher, 
Maurice O'Brien, 
George S- Seeley, 
John Ives, 
E. M. Smith, 
S. D. Otis, 
Benjamin Page, 
Dexter Parker, 
E. Worthington Pierce, 
H. A. Pierce, 
James P. Platt, 
August Schmelzer, 
Philip C- Rand, 
Gilbert Rogers, 
Samuel Dodd, 
Cephas B. Rogers, 
Isaac E. Beach, 
W. H. A. Maynard, 
John W. Coe. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



29 



SPORTS 




Thos. L. Reillv, Chairman. 



J. H. Reynolds, Secretarv. 



A. H. Cashen, 
Leroy J. Gaines, 
William A. Penfield, 
Charles Smart, 
C WiNFiELD King. 
Joseph Beckett, 
George Cooley, 
Wilbur F. Parker, 
Walter S. Shaw, 
Thomas F. Lyons, 
Dr. F. L. Murdock, 
Herman Kraemer, 



Fred Webek, 
George Lohmann, 
J. Ferd Allen, 
Patrick J. Griffin, 
Julius Kuntze, 
George L. Clark, 
Fred Roselius, 
Harold A. Meeks, 
Rudolf Boehle, 
Lewis A. Miller, 

C. E. POLSEY, 

Henry A. W. Prageman. 



.^o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



ON COLONIAL BALL 





C. E. Stockder, Chairman. 



Howard Stevenson, Secretary, 



1. Burton Miller, 
John F. McDonnell, 
Cornelius Cahill, Jr., 
Robert G. Church, 
Charles W. Clock, 
Fred Billard, 



William E. Hinsdale, 
Waldemar C. Hirschfield, 
James H. Hinsdale, 
George Ohl, 
Arthur D. Meeks, 
George H. Yeamans, 



Joseph A. Roberge. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



31 



INDUSTRIAL PARADE 



Joseph S. Stokes, Chairman, 
Henry Stockder, 
Arthur J. Hall, 
"A-'iLLiAM G- Snow, 
Joseph H- Beckett, 
George E. Savage, 
Robert J, IMerriam, 
Robert C. Koeller, 
Frank Evarts, 
I. Burton Miller, 
Wilton Miller, 



Philip J. Handel, 
George Swift, 
Frank C. White, 
F. A. Stephani, 
Frank J. Wallace, 
Thomas A. Benham, 
J. Adolph Johnson, 
Harry A. Stevens, 
E. C. Wilcox, 
William Rettenmeyer, 
Irving Cooley 



MANUFACTURERS' EXHIBITS 



Charles F. Monroe, Chairman, 
Charles F. Rockwell, Secretary, 
William Zerfass, 



Clarence P. Bradley, 
C. W. King, 
George H. Wilcox, 



ON PUBLIC SAFETY 



Chief of Police C B. Bowen, 
Chairman. 

Jerome Bailey, 
Richard Shaw, 
John F. Donovan, 
Tohn E. Moffatt, 



Chief Engineer I. B. Hyatt, 
Secretary. 

Dwight J. Finnegan, 
W- R- Bailey, 
David Bloomfield, 
David T. Lyon. 



32 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



LADIES' RECEPTION AND ENTERTAINMENT 



Mrs. Abiram Chamberlain, Mrs. 

Mrs. H. Wales Lines, Mrs. 

Mrs. Charles L. Rocwell, Mrs. 

Mrs. Charles F. Linsley, Mrs. 

Mrs. James P. Platt, Miss 

Mrs. Wilbur F. Rogers, Mrs. 

Mrs. George H. Wilcox, Miss 

Mrs. Francis Stevenson, Mrs. 

Mrs. Henry Warren, Mrs. 

Mrs. Nathaniel L. Bradley, Mrs. 

Mrs. W. B. Cashen, Miss 

Mrs. Charles F. Rockwell, Mrs. 

Mrs. John L. Billard, Mrs. 

Mrs. Junius S. Norton, Jr., Mrs. 

Mrs. G. E. Savage, Mrs. 

Mrs. J. H. White, Mrs. 

Mrs. F. E. Sands, Mrs. 

Mrs. Henry T. King, Mrs. 

Mrs. Charles T. Dodd, Miss 

Mrs. William A. Hickox, Mrs. 

Mrs. Sig. Bernstein, Mrs. 

Mrs. Wilbur W. Finnegan, Mrs. 

Mrs. Arthur D. Meeks, Mrs. 

Mrs. William H. Catlin, Mrs. 

Mrs. Arthur M. Brook.s, Mrs. 

Mrs. C. E. Stockder, Miss 

Mrs. Cornelius C. Danaher, Miss 

Mrs. Edwin E. Smith, Mrs. 

Mrs. Harold A. Meeks, Mrs. 

Mrs. I. Burton Miller, Mrs. 

Mrs. Lewis A. Miller, Mrs. 

Mrs. George M. Curtis, Mrs. 

Mrs. George C. Merriam, Mrs. 

Mrs. Charles H. S. Davis, Mrs. 

Mrs. Francis Atwater, Mrs. 

Mrs. Wilbur F. Davis, Mrs. 



Herman Hess, 
Edward T. Bradstreet, 
John W. Coe, 
James H. Hinsdale, 
Kittie • Nickerson, 
W. Irving Wilcox, 
Lucy Peck, 
E. A. Boardman, 
Edward H. White, 
Charles H. Stockder, 
Ruth Merriam, 
Anthony S. Thomas, 
George A. Fay, 
Benjamin W. Collins, 
Floyd Curtis, 
Maurice O'Brien, 
John S- Lane, 
H. C. Wilcox, 
Mary A. Butler, 
J. H. Chapin, 
Lew Allen, 
William G. Warnock, 
Thomas L. Reilly, 
George Cooley, 
Albert Babb, 
Elsie Lyon, 
Claire Converse, 
Albert A. Mather, 
George A. Church, 
John Ives, 

Nathan F. Griswold, 
James A. Curtiss, 
Homer A. Curtiss, 
Christopher S. Howard^ 
Philip C. Rand, 
Charles L. Upham, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



33 



Mrs. Arthur T. Randall, 
Mrs. William W. Mosher, 
Mrs. Charles N. Winslow, 
Mrs- Seth J. Hall, 
Mrs. L. E. Savage, 
Mrs. John L. Richmond, 
Mrs. Wilbur F. Parker, 
Mrs. John L. Rutherford, 
Mrs- George R. Curtis, 
Mrs. E. Worthington Pierce, 
Mrs .E. W. Smith, 
Mrs. E. a. Merriman, 
Mrs. John Q. Thayer, 

Mrs. W 



Mrs. E. Tredennick, 
Mrs. George M. Lucas, 
Miss Sallie Collins, 
Mrs. Wilbur H. Squire, 
Mrs. Benjamin C. Kennard, 
Mrs. William C. Mueller, 
Mrs. Hubert Little, 
Mrs. E. B. Everitt, 
Mrs. J. Ferd Allen, 
]\Irs. Charles Lyon, 
Miss Nan Carter, 
Mrs. John C. Churchill, 
Mrs. Willis J. Prouty, 
B. Ives, 




HOME CLUB, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



34 



CKNTKNNIAL OF MliRIDEN. 



PROGRAMME FOR WEEK, JUNE 10-16 



SUNDAY, June 10. 

MORNING. 

Services in all churches by present and 
former pastors. 

State convention of German Catholics at 
St. Mary's R. C. church. 

AFTERNOON. 

Union service at First Congregational 
church, with address by Rev. Dr. Lyman 
Abbott. 

Business session State convention of Ger- 
man Catholics at Company L Armory. 

EVENING. 

Services in all churches by present and 
former pastors. 



OPENING DAY, MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

MORNING. 

Opening of Midway. 

Opening of Historical Loan Exhibit. 

Opening of Manufacturers' and Varied Arts 
Exposition at Hanover Park. 

Southern New England Turnfest Parade 
and opening of Athletic Events at Schuetzen 
Park. 

Services at St. Mary's Church, German 
Catholic State Convention. 

Connecticut Bankers' Convention at Home 
Club. 

AFTERNOON. 

1 p. m. — Parade of German Catholics and 
St. Bonifacius Society. 

1 :30 p. m. — Civic and Industrial parade. 

Southern New England Turnfest at 
Schuetzen Park. 

State 'Veteran Firemens' meeting at Co. I 
Armory. 

Banquet Connecticut Bankers' Association. 

Base Ball at Hanover Park — "Wallingford 
vs. Mohawks, 2 p. m. ; Tabs vs. Plainville, 
4 p. m. 

EVENING. 

Fireworks and Illuminations. 
Southern New England Turnfest Ball at 
Turner Hall. Band concert. 



GRAND 



ARMY DAY, TUESDAY, 
JUNE 12. 



Midway all day and evening. 
Historical Loan Exhibit all day. 
Manufacturers' and Varied Arts Exposi- 
tion at Hanover Park. 



MORNING. 

Opening of Grand Army State Encamp- 
ment. 

Automobile parade. 

Southern New England Schuetzenbund pa- 
rade and opening of shoot at Schuetzen 
Park. 

AFTERNOON. 

Parade Connecticut Department, G. A. R. 

Presentation of memorial tablet by Susan 
Carrington Clarke Chapter, D. A. R. 

Base Ball. — Big Four League, Meriden vs. 
Bristol, at Hanover Park, 4 p. m. 

Hor.-e Races at Trotting Park. 

EVENING. 

State G. A. R. Camp Fire at Auditorium. 
Fireworks at Hanover Park. 
Band concert. 



LABOR 



DAY, WEDNESDAY, 
JUNE 13. 



Midway all day and evening. 
Historical Loan Exhibit all day. 
Manufacturers' and Varied Arts Exposition 
all day and evening at Hanover Park. 

MORNING. 

State G. A. R. Encampment at Auditorium. 

Parade of State Federation of Labor. 

Southern New England Schuetzenbund at 
Schuetzen Park. 

Opening of Golf Tournament at Meriden 
Golf Club. 

AFTERNOON. 

Concluding Session State G. A. R. En- 
campment. Election and installation of of- 
ficers. 

Field Day and Addresses, State Federation 
of Labor at Terrace Garden. 

Golf Tournament at Meriden Golf Club. 

Horse Races at Trotting Park. 



EVENING. 

Concert at 



First Methodist 



Centennial 
Church. 

Fireworks and concluding session State 
Federation of Labor at Terrace Garden. 

Schuetzenbund at Turner Hall. 



OLD HOME DAY, THURSDAY, 
JUNE 14. 

Midway all day and evening. 
Historical Loan Exhibit, all day. 
Manufacturers and Varied Arts Exposi- 
tion at Hanover Park, all day and evening. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



35 



MORNING. 

Cannon salute, 7 a. m. . 
Parade Connecticut Fifers' and Drum- 
mers' Association at 10 :30. 

Golf tournament at Meriden Golf club. 

AFTERNOON. 

Military and semi-Military Parade. 

Golf tournament, Meriden Golf club. 

Field Day, Connecticut Fifers' and Drum- 
mers' Association, at Hanover Park. 

Tennis Tournament, Y. M. C. A. Ten- 
nis club. 

EVENING. 

Ball and contest for prizes, Connecticut 
Fifers' and Drummers' Association, at Au- 
ditorium. 

Fireworks and Illuminations. 

Band concert. 



WALLSNGFORD DAY, FRIDAY, 
JUNE 15. 

Midway, all day and evening. 

Historical Loan Exhibit, all day. 

Manufacturers' and varied Arts Exposi- 
tion, at Hanover Park, all day and even- 
ing. 

MORNING. 

Cannon salute, 7 a. m. 

AFTERNOON. 

Open Athletic Meet at Trotting Park under 
sanction U. A. A. 

Parade by Putnam Phalanx, 1 p. m. 

Historical addresses at First Congrega- 
tional church. 

EVENING. 

Colonial Ball at Auditorium. 
Fireworks at Hanover Park. 



INCORPORATION DAY, SATURDAY, 

JUNE 16. 

Midway, all day and evening. 

Historical Loan Exhibit, all dav. 

Manufacturers' and varied Arts Exposi- 
tion, at Hanover Park, all day and even- 
ing. 

MORNING. 

Cannon salute, 7 a. m. 

Reproduction of First Town Meeting, 
June 16, 1806, at Auditorium. 

Open Handicap, Meriden Golf club. 

Parade and opening of the State Saenger- 
fest. 

AFTERNOON. 

Historical meeting and addresses, at 
First Congregational church. 

Baseball at Hanover Park, Wesleyan 
University vs. Holy Cross. 

State Saengerfest convention. 

EVENING. 

Historical meeting and addresses, at 
First Congregational church. 
Fireworks and Illuminations. 
Band concert. 



CONNECTICUT BANKERS' ASSO- 
CIATION. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

Conventions called at Home Club at 11 
a. m. 

Election of officers and transaction of 
business. 

Luncheon. 

Carriage Drive. 

Banquet in ball room of Home club at 
3 p. m. 

President — Abiram Chamberlain, president 
Home National Bank, Meriden. 

Vice President — A. Spencer, Jr., president 
Aetna' National Bank, Hartford. 

Secret.\ry — C. E. . Hoyt, treasurer South 
Norwalk Trust Company. 

Treasurer — C. C. Barlow, cashier Yale Na- 
tional Bank, New Haven. 

Executive Committee — W. E. Atwood, 
president ilechanics' Bank. New Britain ; 
Charles K. Nettleton, president Birming- 
ham National Bank. Derby : Isaac W. 
Brooks, president Brooks National Bank, 
Torrington ; F. B. Furlong, cashier Hart- 
ford National Bank, Hatford ; James H. 
Welles, cashier Uncas National Bank, Nor- 
wich. 



LABOR DAY 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

Grand street parade at 10 :30 a. m. 
Rendezvous at City park. Line of march : 

Franklin, to Camp, to Center, to Pratt, 
to Catlin, to East Main, to Colony, to 
Camp, countermarch to Main, to North First, 
to Hanover, to Terrace Garden. 

Addresses at 2 p. m. by noted labor men. 

Concert afternoon and evening by City 
and Military bands. 

Dancing, music by Hart & Cody's or- 
chestra until midnight. 

Sporting events at 3:30 p. m., includ- 
ing high jump, broad jump, 100 yard dash, 
sack race, pole climbing, tug of war, etc. 

Awarding of prizes at 6 p. m. 

Fireworks in the evening. 

Picnic pastimes of all sorts will be held 
at the garden during the afternoon and 
evening. 



HISTORICAL EXERCISES 

FRIDAY, JUNE 15. 

AFTERNOON. 

Introduction of presiding officer bv Pres- 
ident George Munson Curtis. 

Address by Judge Leveritt M. Hubbard, 
Wallingford, presiding officer. 

Music. 

Address by General H. B. Carrington, U. 
S. A., Retired. Hyde Park, Mass. 

Address by Rev. James E. Wildman, 
Wallingford. 

Music. 

SATURDAY. JUNE 16. 

AFTERNOON. 

Historical address by President George 
Munson Curtis. 



36 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Poem by Dr. William S. Johnson, Yale 
University. 

Address by Rev. Dr. Samuel Hart, Mid- 
dletown. President Connecticut Historical 
society. 

Music. 

Address by Hon. William Travers Jerome, 
New York. 

Address by Hon. Simeon E. Baldwin, 
Judge Supreme Court, representing New 
Haven Historical society. 

Music. 

Address by Hon. C. LaRue Munson, Wil- 
liamsport, Pa. 

Music. 

EVENING. 

Introductory address by President George 
Munson Curtis. 

Music. 

Address by Hon. Julius H. Pratt, Mont- 
clair, N. J., on "Early Manufacturers of 
Meriden." 

Address by Rev. J. J. Woolley, Pawtucket, 
R. I. 

Music. 

Address by Prof. David N. Camp, New 
Britain. 

Reading of Winning Prize Essavs by 
School Children. 

Mu.'-ic. 



GERMAN CATHOLIC CONVENTION. 

SrND.A.Y, JUNE 10. 

Religious services at 10.30 a. m., at St 
Mary's church. Church street. Rev. N. F. X. 
Schneider, celebrant : sermon by Rev. Fr. 
Clement Raab, O. F. M., of Butler, N. J. 

Special musical programme. 

Business session at 2 p. m., in Company 
L armorv. State street. George Jacob, of 
New Haven, state president, presiding oflBcer. 

EVENING. 

Meeting of all German Catholics at 7 :30 
a. m., in Company L armory. 

Concert by St. Mary's Choral club of 50 
voices, under direction of R. Seivert, assist- 
ed by Lyon's orchestra. 

Soloists — John Hergert, Charles Feith, 
Miss Cecelia Hopishki and George Jacob, of 
New Haven. 

Address of welcome — Hon. T. L. Reilly, 
mayor of Meriden. 

Address, "German Catholics of Ameri- 
ca" — Rev. Clement Raab, O. F. M., of But- 
ler, N. J. 

Address, "German Societies" — Professor G. 
Sarg, of Elizabeth, N. J. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

9 a. m. — Services at St. Mary's church, 
followed by closing business session. 

1 p. m. — Parade of German Catholics, 
headed by Military band. 

Form on State street, to West Main, to 
Butler, to Hanover, to Columbus avenue, to 
Terrace Garden. 

Afternoon — Picnic at Terrace Garden of 
association and of St. Bonifacius society. 



STATE ENCAMPMENT 

DEPART.MENT OF CONXKCTICUT GRAND 
ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12. 

9 a. m. — Council of Administration meet- 
ing at Department Commander's headquar- 
ters in Meriden House. 

10 a. m. — Encampment called to order at 
Auditorium. 

4 p m. — Parade. Form on streets adja- 
cent to Auditorium. 

ROUTE. 

East Main to Butler, countermarch to Col- 
ony street, up Colony street to State School 
for Boys, countermarch to West Main and 
dismiss. 

8 p. m. — Camp Fire at Auditorium, with 
prominent speakers. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 
Morning — Convention reconvene. 
Afternoon — Election and installation of 
officers. 

OFFICERS DEPARTMENT OF CONNEC- 
TICUT. 

Albert A. May, Meriden, commander. 

Franklin Ball, Bristol, senior vice com- 
mander. 

L. W. Scofield, Stamford, junior vice com- 
maader. 

John H. Thacher, Hartford, assistant ad- 
jutant general. 

Wm. E. Morgan, New Haven, assistant 
quartermaster general. 

Dr. Levi Jewett, Cobalt, medical director. 

Wm. Ferguson, South Manchester, depart- 
ment inspector. 

L. A. Northrop, Wallingford, chief mus- 
tering officer. 

William F. Hilton, Hartford, department 
chaplain. 

John F. Simmons, Winsted, judge advo- 
cate. 

James R. Sloane, Meriden, senior aide-de- 
camp. 



ATHLETIC GAMES. 

AT TROTTING PARK. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 15. 

AT 2 P. M. 

CHAMPIONSHIP OF MERIDEN 

FOR MERIDEN MEN ONLY. 

100 yards dash. 
Pole vault. 
Running high jump. 
Running broad jump. 
Putting 16 lb. shot. 

FAST OPEN EVENTS. 
BEST MEN OF THE STATE AND COLLEGES. 

100 yards dash. 
One-half mile run. 
Mile run. 
220 yards dash. 

TUG OF WAR FOR CHAMPIONSHIP OF MERIDEN 

RELAY RACES MERIDEN TEAMS ONLY. 

BOYS' 100 YDS. CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MERIDEN 
BOYS UNDER 15 YEARS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



37 



Silver cups provided by the International 
Silver Co., of Meriden, will be awarded to 
winners of ttie first three places in each 
event excpting the Tug of War and the 
Relay Races, and the Boys' 100 yards dash. 

Cups will be awarded the winning team 
in the Tug of War and Relay Race. 

Baseball Gloves for first and second and 
baseball bat for third prize in the boys' race. 

BASEBALL GAMES. 

AT HANOVEK PARK. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

2 P. M. — Central League, Mohawks vs. Wal- 
lingford. 

4 p. M. — Big Four League, Tabs vs. Plain- 
ville. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12. 

4 p. M. — Big Four League, Meriden vs. Bris- 
tol. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

3 :30 p. M. — Waterbury vs. New Haven, 

Connecticut League Teams. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 16. 

College Championship, Wesleyan University 
vs. Holy Cross. 



TENNIS TOURNAMENT. 

The Y. M. C. A. Tennis Club will con- 
duct a tournament at their courts on Lin- 
coln street, Thursday, June 14. 



MERIDEN GOLF CLUB 

CENTENNIAL TOURNAilENT. 

JUNE 13-16, 1906. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

Qualifying round at 18 holes medal play, 
three sets of 16 each to qualify. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 14. 

Morning — ^First round at match play, 18 
holes, for each 16. 

Afternoon — Second round at match play ; 
first round at match play for defeated eight 
in first round. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 15. 

Morning — Semi-finals, all classes, 18 
holes, match play. 

Afternoon — Finals, all classes. 18 holes, 
match play. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 16. 

Open handicap, 18 holes, medal play. 

PRIZES 

The prizes offered are of cut glass and 
sterling silver and unusually handsome and 
valuable. They are as follows : 

Best score, qualifying round — Cut glass 
decanter, sterling top. 

Winner, first sixteen — Sterling silver 
pitcher. 

Runner up, first sixteen — Cut glass decan- 
ter, sterling top. 



Winner, consolation, first sixteen — Cut 
glass decanter, sterling top. 

Winner, second sixteen — Cut glass cigar 
jar, sterling top. 

Runner up, second sixteen — Cut glass de- 
canter, sterling top. 

Winner, consolation, second sixteen 

Leather covered clock. 

Winner, third sixteen — Tobacco jar, ster- 
ling top. 

Runner up, third sixteen — Silver smoking 
stand. 

Winner, consolation, third sixteen — Gold 
plated shaving set. 

Best gross score, handicap — Optic cut 
glass jug, sterling top. 

Best net score, handicap — Thistle cut glass 
jug, sterling top. 

SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TURN- 
FEST. 

JUNE 9, 10, 11. 
SATURDAY, JUNE 9. 

Grand Reception of Visiting Members. 

A Banquet will be held in the Main Hall. 

Address of Welcome by the Following 
Gentlemen : His Honor, the Mayor, Thomas 
L. Reilly : President of the District of Con- 
necticut Turner Societies, M. J. Young of 
Hartford ; President of the Meriden Centen- 
nial Committee, G. M. Curtis ; President of 
the Mei-iden Turner Society, Fred Weber. 

Meeting of the Judges, Tutors, Technical 
Committee. 

Distribution of quarters to visiting mem- 
bers. 

' SUNDAY, JUNE 10. 

Big family outing at Schuetzen Park in 
Honor of the Guests. 

8 a. m. — Rehearsal of the Mass Wand Ex- 
ercises by All Classes. 

8.30-12 a. m. — Class Competition. Appa- 
ratus Work. 

Concert — Selections by the Meriden City 
Band During the Afternoon. 

2 p. m. — Continuation of Class Work and 
Special Events. 

5 p. m. — Wand Exercises en Masse. 

8 p. m. — Grand Entertainment, Sacred 
Concert at Turner hall for visitors' families 
and their friends. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

8 a. m. — Members Meet at Turner Hall. 

9 a. m. — Parade Headed by City Band, 
after marching through principal streets, 
proceed direct to Schuetzen Park. 

10 a. m. — Continuation of special events. 
fencing, wrestling, jumping, running. 

2 p. m. — Grand exhibition of varied ex- 
ercises by the ladies' classes of the state 
societies. 

4 p. m. — Distribution of honors to the 
winners, in the shape of wreaths, diplomas, 
pennants by the state officers. 

8 p. m. — Grand Ball at Turner Hall and 
closing exercises. 

Schuetzen Park is on Steuben street, oppo- 
site Capitol avenue. Take West Main street 
car to Capitol avenue. 



PRESENTATION D. A. R. TABLET. 

Presentation of Memorial Bronze Tablet 
bearing names of all Revolutionary Soldiers 



38 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



and Militiamen from the Parish of Meriden, 
1775 to 1783, by 

SUSA CARRINGTON CLARKE CHAPTERj D. A. K., 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12, AT 2 P. M., FIRST 

METHODIST CHURCH. 

Music by Glee Club. 

Historical Address. 

Committee's Report and presentation of 
tablet to Regent by Mrs. L. K. Curtis. 

Music — Trio. 

Presentation of tablet by Mrs. Kate Foote 
Coe, Regent. 

Acceptance of Tablet by George Munson 
Curtis. 

Music — "My Own United States." 

Address — Mrs. Sarah T. Kinney, State 
Regent. 

Music — "America." 

Benediction. 



VETERAN FIREMEN'S MEETING. 

HEADQUARTERS, COMPANY I ARMORY, 

PALACE BLOCK. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

Morning — Arrival of visiting firemen and 
gathering at headquarters. 

1 :30 p. m. — Participate in Civic parade 
■with old fire appaatus. 

4 p. m. — Dinner in Company I Armory 
with addresses by visitors and other.?, fol- 
lowed by social time. 

COMMITTEE. 

John D. Roberts, president ; Richard B. 
Kearney, vice president : Albert A. May, 
secretary ; George N. Shepherd, treasurr ; 
George R. Tyon, foreman ; Bernard Curran, 
assistant foreman. 

DRUM CORPS. 

TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 

CONN. FIFERS AND DRUMMERS' ASSO- 
CIATION UNDER DIRECTION OF THE 
MERIDEN FIFE .\ND DRUM CORPS. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 14. 
PARADE LINE OF MARCH. 

Rendezvous at City Park, formation on 
Camp street, right resting on Camp, corner 
of Franklin. Camp to Center to Colony to 
West Main, to Lewis avenue ; countermarch 
to East Main to Broad to Liberty to East 
Main to Pratt and dismiss. 

ORDER OF PROCESSION. 

Squad of police. 
Chief Marshal W. J. Brunell. 

AIDS. 
C. L. Heckler, E. A. Everard. 
FIRST DIVISION. 
MODERN FIFE AND DRUM CORPS CLASS. 
Meriden Fife and Drum corps, Meriden. 
Y. M. T. A. B. Drum corps. New Britain. 
Glastonbury Drum corps Glastonbury. 
Meriden Pulaski Drum corps, Meriden. 
Military Drum band, Southington. 
M. G. Bulkeley Drum corps, Hartford. 
New London Drum corps. New London. 



Plainville Drum corps, Plainville. 
Regimental Drum corps, Norwich. 
Sacred Heart Drum corps, Waterbury. 
St. Anne's Drum corps, Waterbury. 
Second Regiment Drum corps. New Haven. 
Kennedy Guards, Danbury. 

SECOND DIVISION. 

ANCIENT FIFE AND DRUM CORPS 

CLASS. 

American Graphophone Drum corps, 
Bridgeport. 

A. S. & K., Drum corps, Hotchkissville. 
Deep River Drum corps, Deep River. 
Liberty Drum corps. New Britain. 
Grenadier Drum corps, Milford. 
Wallingford Drum corps, Wallingford. 
Portland Drum Corps, Portland. 
Pratt & Read Drum corps, Deep River. 
S. H. Comstock Drum corps Ivoryton. 
Lancraft's Drum corps. New Haven. 

THIRD DIVISION. 

MODERN FLUTE AND PICCOLO BAND. 

Allen Drum band, Hartford. 

T. M. Russell Drum band, Middletown. 

Oriental Flute band, Stamford. 

FOURTH DIVISION. 

DRUM CORPS WITHOUT FIFES. 

Jewell Belting Co., Drum corps, Hartford. 
Bolden's Drum corps, Hartford. 
Charter Oak Drum corps, Hartford. 
McLean's Drum corps, Hartford. 

FIFTH DIVISION. 

INVITED GUESTS OF THE MERIDEN 

FIFE AND DRUM CORPS. 

19th Separate Co., Fife, Drum and Bugle 
corps Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 

Cathedral Father Matthew Drum corps, 
Springfield, Mass. 

Sacred Heart 2nd Regt. Drum corps, 
Springfield, Mass. 

Father Matthew's Drum corps, Hartford. 

Red Men's Drum corps. New London. 

Blue Ribbon Drum corps, Bridgeport. 

H. G. Hubbard Drum Corps, Middletown. 

East Hampton Drum corps. East Hampton. 

Derby Drum corps Derby. 

Moodus Drum corps, Moodus. 

Bethel Drum corps, Danbury. 

St. Mary's Drum corps, Derby. 

Boys' Club Drum corps, Meriden. 

PRIZES. 
All drum corps present will be judged on 
line of march for prizes as follows : 
Best appearing corps in line. 
Most ancient appearing corps in line. 
Best appearing drum major in line. 

GRAND BALL AND COMPETITIVE DRILL 
Auditorium at 8 p. m. 

Grand concert by Lyon & Keegan's full 
orchestra followed by grand march. 

Competitive fancy drill and baton swing- 
ing contest. 

Ball to continue 'until after midnight. 

OFFICERS OF STATE ASSOCIATION. 
G. C. Hadock, Hartford, president. 
F. J. Westline, Bridgeport, first vice 
president. 



\ 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



39 



J. B. Feldhouse, Meriden_ second vice 
president. 

L. E. Pratt, Deep River, recording and 
financial secretary. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 

G. E. Spencer, PJainville, Chairman. 

J. B. Feldhouse, Meriden. 

F. J. Westline, Bridgeport. 

J. I. Ward, Middletown. 

H. H. Phillips, Greenwich. 

Officers of Meriden Fife and Drum corps — 
W. F. Feldhouse, leader ; A. M. Duncan, 
fife corporal ; C. Middleton, drum sergeant." 

General Committee of Arrangements — J. 
B. Feldhouse, chairman ; C. L. Heckler, E. 
A. Everard. 

Sub-committee on Souvenirs and Pro- 
gramme — W. F. Feldhouse, chairman ; W. J. 
Brunei], A. M. Duncan. 

Ladies' Reception Committee — Mrs. C. L. 
Heckler, Mrs. J. B. Feldhouse, Miss Kathryn 
McLaughlin, Miss Agnes Feldhouse, Miss 
Annie Tresselt, Miss Margaret McLaughlin, 
Miss Anna Driscoll, Miss Bertha Tresselt, 
Miss Margaret Watts. Miss Anna Beaty, 
Miss Pauline Dubord, Miss Bertha Lippold, 
Miss Pearl Goss, Miss Lizzie Driscoll, Miss 
Nellie Scott, Miss Katherine Donahue, Miss 
Katherine Russell Miss Catherine Curtin, 
Miss Mary Everard Miss Kittie Maney, Miss 
Marie Lynch, Mrs. E. Newbaum, Miss May 
Feldhouse, Miss Nellie Driscoll, Miss Kitty 
English, Mrs. W. J. Brunell, Miss Annie 
Cook, Miss Julia Fallon, Miss Annie Dulick. 
Miss Katherine Walsh. 

LIST OF PRIZES. 

For best appearing corps In line — A 
large red satin banner, compliments of D. 
Klien & Bro. 

For best appearing drum major in line — 
A large black fur drum major's shako, 
compliments of a friend. 

For most ancient appearing corps in line 
— A hand decorated tobacco jar. 

First prize, modern fife and drum corps — 
Silver prize cup, presented by Factory E,, 
I. S. C. 



Second prize, modern fife and drum corps 
— Pair bronze figures, "Game of Grace," 
presented by Bradley & Hubbard Mfg. Co. 
First prize, ancient fife and drum corps — 
Silver loving cup, presented by Factory A, 
I. S. C. 

Second prize, ancient fife and drum corps 
— Silver trumpet, presented by Carl Fischer 
Co., New York. 

First prize, flute and piccolo band — Prize 
cup, presented by Factory N, I. S. C. 

Second prize, flute and piccolo band — Prize 
cup, presented by Silver City Plate Co. 

First prize, drum corps without fifes — 
Street snare drum, presented by F. E. Dodge 
Co., Boston. 

First prize, fancy drilling by corps — Gold 
mounted, hand decorated, loving vase, pre- 
sented by C. F. Monroe Co. 

First prize, individual snare drumming — 
Polished oak, silver mounted and lined 
cigar box, gift of Charles Parker Co. 

Second prize, individual snare drumming 
— Silver cup. 

First prize, individual bass drumming — 
Gentleman's English cigar case and bill 
book, gift of E. A. Bliss Co. 

Second prize, individual bass drumming — 
Pair of engraved silver napkin rings, gift 
of Wilbur B. Hall. 

First prize, individual fife, ancient class — 
Thirty-eight calibre revolver, gift of Meri- 
den Fire Arms Co. 

Second prize, individual fife, ancient class 
— Silver pepper and salt cellars, gift of 
Wilber Co. 

First prize, individual fife, modern class 
— Set of silver knives and forks, gift of 
Factory H, I. S. C. 

Second prize, individual fife, modern class 
— Silver cup. 

First prize, individual piccolo — Pair of 
hand decorated Mellen vases, gift of P. J. 
Handel Co. 

Second prize, individual piccolo — Silver 
cup. 

First prize, best drum major bat«a 
swinging — All metal drum major's baton, 
gift of C. M. Lilley Co., Columbus, Ohio. 
Second prize, baton swinging — Medal. 



PARADES FOR THE WEEK 



MONDAY, JUNE U 



SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND TURN- 
FEST. 

9 a. m. — Assemble at Turner hall, Pratt 
Btreet. Formation on Pratt street 

Route of march : Pratt to East Main, 
to Willow, countermarch on East Main to 
Colony, to Washington, countermarch on 
Colony to West Main, to Capitol avenue, to 
Schuetzen Park. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Marshal. Oscar Funke- 

Meriden City Band. 

State Officers. 



Judges. 

Hartford Turner Society. 

Holyoke Turner Society. 

Rockville Turner Society. 

Waterbury Vorwaerts Turner Society. 

New Britain Turner Society. 

New Haven Turner Society. 

Meriden Turner Society. 

Meriden Rifie Club. 

Meriden Saengerbund. 

Cosmopolitan Club. 
Lyra Singing Society. 
Meriden Lodge, D. O. H. 
Harmonia Lodge, O. D. H. S. 
Teutonia Lodge, I. O. O. F. 
Court Schiller, F. of A. 
Workingmen's Sick and Death Benefit So- 
ciety. 
German Mutual Aid Society. 
Alsace-Lorraine Society. 



40 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



iERMAN CATHOLIC STATE ASSO- 
CIATION. 

1 p. m. — Assemble and form on State 
treet opposite International Silver Co. oflSce 

Route of march : State to East Main, to 
(S^est Main, to Butler, to Hanover, to Ter- 
■ace Garden and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Marshal, John F. Morenz. 

Platoon of Police. 

Meriden Military Band. 

State Officers. 

iepresentatives and members of association. 

St. Bonifacius Society. 



JIVIC AND INDUSTRIAL PARADE. 

1 :30 p. m. — Assemble at City Park, 
rormation on Camp street and Bunker ave- 
iue. 

Route of march : Center to Pratt, to 
Broad, to East Main, to West Main, to 
•^orth First, countermarch on West Main, 
» Colony, to Wilcox avenue, countermarch 
>n Colony, to Camp, to Center and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Marshal. 

Counted Cavalcade, George L. Clark, leader. 

\.ides : Capt. C. B. Bowen, Capt. G. E. 

Proudman, Capt. Joseph DeCantillon, 

Julius Augur, John H. McMahon, 

H. E. Hubbard. 

Police Escort. 

Band. 

Vlyrtle Lodge 4, K. of P.,. Chancellor John 

Kay, commanding. 

Band. 

^.ncient Order of Hibernians and Invited 

guests. 
Division 1, John H. McMahon, commanding. 

Division 2, Robert Lodge, commanding. 
Division 3, Dr. O. D. Flannagan, command- 
ing. 
Band. 
r. A. B. Society, John F. Fenders, com- 
manding. 
Band. 
Meriden Lodge, B. P. O. E., and guests, E. 
L. K., Daniel Donovan, commanding. 
Band. 
Silver City Council, K. of C, G. H., Henry 
Cashen, commanding. 
Band. 
Patriotic Sons of America, Meriden, New 
Haven and other societies, Col. S. E. 
Crocker, commanding. 
Band. 
Meriden Aerie of Eagles. 
East Side Social Club. 
Band 
Silver City Lodge, I. O. A. B., L. Friedman, 

commanding. 
Meriden Lodge, 276, D. O. H., Carl Die!, 
commanding. 
Meriden Rifle Club 
Christopher Columbus Society, Pres. Al- 
fred Muzzle, commanding. 
Victor Immanuel, 3, Society. 
Order of Modern Woodmen. 
Dolbec Camp, Order Modern Woodmen. 
St. Jean Baptiste Society, Wilbrod 
L'Heureaux, Commanding 
St. Laurent's T. A. B. Society 
Italian Protective Society, E. Tomasetti, 
Marshal. 



POLISH DIVISION. 

Kosciusko Society Band 

Twenty Men 

John Klotc, Leader. 

Society Recearcz, M. B. C. Z. 

Sixty Men 

Capt. John Zydkiewcizy, Commanding 

St. Stanislaus Church Society 

Fifty Men 

Michael Ferreu, President 

White Eagle Society 

120 Men 

Waltey Malywajek, President 

St. Stanislaus Branch, No. 655 

Eighty-five Men 

Barnslaw Markoweski, President 

Society Poluskie Drum Corps 

Twenty Men 

Leader, Szilewa 

Society Cokol Pol. 

Forty Men 

Stanislaw Truaniecki, President 

Society Peter and Paul, Branch 491 

Twenty- four Men 

Joseph Pichnarcik, President 

Armour's Champion Team of Horses, with 

Attendants. 

Colt's Band of Hartford. 

Veteran Firemen's Association and Invited 

Guests. 

Veteran Companies of Hartford, with Band. 

New London Veterans and the Active Hook 

& Ladder Company of New London. 

Band. 

Eagle Hose Co., Ansonia, 75 Men 

Band. 

Meriden Fire Department, Chief W. C. 

Lucas, commanding, and Assistant 

Chief Jerome Bailey. 

Fire Companies, regular department and 

volunteers, with apparatus. 

Other organizations to be assigned as they 

arrive. 

INDUSTRIAL DIVISION 

TO FORM FOLLOWIXG CmC PARADE. 



TUESDAY, JUNE J 2 



SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 
SCHUETZENBUND. 

9 a. m. — Assemble on State street, near 
depot. Formation on State street. 

Route of march : State to East Main, to 
West Main, to Capitol Avenue, to Schuetzen 
Park and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Marshal, Gotlieb Anschuetz. 

Police Escort. 

Band. 

Companies I and L, C. N. G. 

New Haven Schuetzen Verein 

Taftville Germauia Schuetzen Verein 

New Britain Schuetzen Verein 

Hartford Rifle Club. 

Springfield Schuetzen Verein. 

Meriden Rifle Club. 



10:30 A. M., AUTOMOBILE PARADE. 

Assemble and form at City Parte. 

Route of march : Camp to Colony, to 



CENTENNIAL OF- MERIDEN. 



41 



West Main, to Linsley avenue, to Hanover, 
to Main, to Pratt, to Broad, to Curtis, 
•countermarch on South Broad, to East 
Main, to Colony, to Britannia and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Marshal, Dr. F. L. Murdock. 

Aides, Dr. T. S. Rust, W. F. Parker. 

First Division — Runabouts. 

Second Division — Touring Cars. 

PRIZES. 

For the first, second and third best dec- 
orated automobiles. 

Judges — Mr. L. E. Savage, W. H. A. 
Maynard, F. E. Sands. 

ENTRANCE FEES. 

For decorated cars, $2. 
For undecorated cars, $1. 
Out of town cars, no fee. 

COMMITTEE. 

Dr. F. L. Murdock, Chairman ; I. L. Holt, 
Secretary ; Walter A. King, W. F. Parker, 
Dr. H. A. Meeks. 



G. A. R. PARADE. 

4 p. m.- — Assemble at City Hall. Forma- 
tion on Main, Norwood, Liberty and Cat- 
lin, the right resting on Catlin street. 

Route of march : East Main to Colony, 
Colony to opposite State School, counter- 
march on Colony, to West Main, to But- 
ler, countermarch on West Main, to East 
Main, to Pratt, to Center and dismiss. 



ORDER OF FORMATION. 



A. A. 



Marshal, Department Commander 

May and staff. 

Police Escort. 

Band. 

Department posts, according to Post 

numbers. 

Merriam Post, No. 8. 



WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13 



LABOR DAY PARADE. 

10 :.30 a. m.- — Assemble at City Park. 
Formation on Camp street, right resting 
corner Center street. 

Route of march : Camp to Center, to 
Pratt, to Catlin, to East Main, to Colony, to 
Camp, countermarch on Colony, to West 
Main, to North First, to Hanover, to Ter- 
race Garden and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

FIRST DIVISION : 

Marshal, George .j. Stanley. 
Aides, Wm. Fitzgerald, Henry Kline, Mor- 
ris Sullivan, Albert P. Dossin. 
Police Escort. 
Meriden Military Band 
Carpenters ixnd Joiners 
Painters 
Plumbers 
Bricklayers and Masons 
Building Laborers 
Electrical Workers 
Sheet Metal Workers 



SECOND DIVISION. 
Meriden City Band 

Cigarmakers 

Typographical Union 

Buffers and Polishers 

Bartenders 

Meat Cutters 

Barbers 

Brewery Workers 

Printing Pressmen 

Bakers 

Retail Clerks 

Stereotypers 

Street Railway Employes 

Musical Union 

Teamsters 
Brass Moulders 
The Third division will consist o( dele- 
gations from Hartford, New Haven, Walling- 
ford, Danbury, Bridgeport, Middletown and 
other cities. 



THURSDAY, JUNE J4 

STATE DRUM CORPS ASSOCIATION 

10 :30 a. m. — Assembly at City Park. 
Formation on Franklin street., right resting 
on Camp street. 

Route of march : Camp to Center, to 
Colony, to West Main, to Butler, counter- 
march on West Main street to East Main 
street, to Broad, to Liberty, to East Main, 
to Pratt, dismissed on Pratt street. 



MILITARY PARADE, 

1 :30 p. m. — Assembly at City Park. 
Formation on Camp and Bunker avenue. 

Route of march : Camp to Pratt, to 
Broad, to East Main, to West Main, to 
Linsley avenue, countermarch on West 
Main to Colony, to Wilcox avenue, counter- 
march on Colony to Camp, to Center and 
dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Escort of Police. 
Second Regiment Band. 
Col. James Geddes and Staff. 
Second Regiment Conn. National Guard, 
12 Companies. 
Meriden City Band. 
Brigadier Gen'l. Joseph S. Stokes and Staff, 
Connecticut Brigade, U. R. K. P., 2nd 
Regiment. Col. G. R. Tryon, com- 
manding (11 companies). 
First Regiment, Col. H. C. Osborne, com- 
manding (12 companies). 
United Spanish War Veterans, Dept. of 
Conn., Frederick Breckbill of 
Bridgeport, Dept. Commander. 



FRIDAY, JUNE 15 



PUTNAM PHALANX PARADE. 

1 p. m. — Assembly on State street near 
depot. Formation on State street. 

Route of march : State to East Main, 
to Norwood, to Liberty, to East Main, to 
West Main, to Linsley avenue, counter- 
march on West Main to Colony, to opposite 



42 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDKN. 



State School, countermarch on Colony to 
Winthrop Hotel and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION. 

Escort of Police. 

Band. 

Putnam Phalanx, Col. Mahl, commanding. 



SATURDAY, JUNE 16 

STATE SAENGERBUND PARADE. 

9 a. m. — Assembly at Saengerbund Hall, 
State street. Formation on State street. 



Route of march : State to Cross street 
to Colony, to West Main, to Linsley avenue 
to Hanover, to Columbus avenue, to Ter 
race Garden and dismiss. 

ORDER OF FORMATION 

American Band of Waterbury. 

Marshal. 

Connecticut Volksfest Vereln. 

Wallingford Eintracht. 

Waterbury Lyra. 

New Britain Teutonia Maennercbor. 

Meriden Saengerbund. 

New Haven, Bridgeport, Ansonia Societies 



MUSICAL PROGRAMME FOR WEEK 



Concerts daily at 10 a. m., 2 p. m. and 
8 p. m. by Rounds' Ladies' Orchestra and 
Concert Co., at Monufacturers and Varied 
Arts' exposition at Hanover park. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 10. 

Morning — Special musical services in all 
churches. 

Afternoon — Special musical programme 
by united church quartettes of city at union 
services at First Congregational church. 

Evening — Sacred concert at Turner hall. 
Concert at St. Mary's church at German 
Catholic convention. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 

Afternoon — Concert by City band at 
Schuetzen park. 

Evening — Concert by Military band at 
corner East Main and Broad streets. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12. 
Evening — Concert by City band at Crown 
street square. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

Afternoon — Concert by City band at Ter- 
race Garden. 

Evening — Concert by Military band at 
Terrace Garden. 

Evening — Centennial concert at First 
Methodist church. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 14. 

Afternoon — Drummers' contests at Han- 
over park. 

Evening — Drummers' contest at auditor- 
ium. 

Evening — Concert by City band at cor- 
ner Randolph avenue and West Main street. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 15. 

Evening — Concert by Bayne's 69th Regi- 
ment band at Colonial ball. 

Evening — Concert by Hill's orchestra at 
Colonial ball. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 16. 

Afternoon — Concert by American band 
of Waterbury at Terrace Garden. 

Afternoon — Concert by Saengefest at 
Terace G&rden. 

Evening — Concert by Military band at 
Winthrop square. Colony street. 



SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND 
SCHUETZENFEST. 

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12 

AND 13. 

TARGET OF HONOR 

Open to Members of the Bund Only. 

Three shots German Ring Target, 200 
yards. Bund rules to govern. Tickets $1.50. 
Entries to be made in advance to Secretary 
Robert Philippe. 

First prize. King Medal and Diploma. 

Other numerous and valuable prizes. 

Target of Honor to close at 3 p. m., sharp 
Wednesday. 

LADIES' TARGET OF HONOR. 

Open to Ladies of the Bund Only. 

German Ring Target, 200 yards, muzzle 
rest. Tickets 50 cents for three shots, to be 
remitted in advance to Secretary Robert 
Phillippe. 

Numerous and valuable prizes. 

LADIES' GENERAL PRIZE TARGET. 

German Ring Target. 200 yards, muzzle 
rest. Three shot ticket 25 cents. Entries 
unlimited. Best two tickets to count- 
Numerous and valuable prizes. 

GENERAL PRIZE TARGET. 

German Ring Target, 200 yards off-hand. 
Tickets, three shots, 50 cents. Best three 
tickets to count. All ties divide. Entries 
unlimited. Each shooter must have his three 
best tickets recorded when shot, they are 
otherwise void. 



1st prize 
2d prize 
3d prize 
4th prize 
5th prize 
6th prize 
7th prize 
8th prize 
9th prize 
10th prize 



PRIZE 


LIST. 




. $40.00 


11th prize . 


$6.00 


. 30.00 


12th prize . 


5.00 


. 25.00 


13th prize . 


5.00 


. 20.00 


14th prize . 


4.00 


. 15.00 


15th prize . 


4.00 


. 12.00 


16th prize . 


3.00 


. 10.00 


17th prize . 


3.00 


9.00 


18th prize . 


2.00 


8.00 


19th prize . 


2.00 


7.00 


20th prize . 


2.00 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



43 



Premiums First Day for Best Three 
Tickets. 

1st prize $6.00 

2d prize 4.00 

3d prize 2.00 

CENTENNIAL REST TARGET. 

German Ring Target, 200 yards, muzzle 
rest. Tickets three shots for 50 cents. Best 
two tickets to count. AH ties divide. Entries 
unlimited. Each shooter must have his two 
best tickets recorded when shot., they are 
otherwise void. 

Prize List. 



1st prize 
2d prize 
3d prize 
4th prize 
5th prize 




eth prize . . . $3.00 

7th prize . . . 2.00 

8th prize . . . 2.00 

9th prize . . . 1.00 

10th prize . . . 1.00 

BULL'S-PYE TARGET. 

200 yards off-hand. Entries unlimited. 
2 1-2 inch bull's-eye in 12 inch black. Tick- 
ets, 10 shots for $1.00. 

Prize List. 

50 cents paid for each bull's-eye shot. 
$1.00 paid for first and last bull's-eye 
each day. 

$3.00 most bull's-eyes. 

$2.00 second most bull's-eyes. 

$1.00 third most bull's-eyes. 

MILITARY CENTENNIAL TARGET. 

200 yards off-hand. Entries unlimited. 
German Ring Target 2 1-2 inch bulls-eye, 
from 1 to 25. Tickets, three shots for 25 
cents, two best tickets to count. All best 
tickets must be recorded by the secretary ; 
they are otherwise void. Open to all mili- 
tary men only. Regulation military and 
army sights allowed. Gold and silver med- 
als and other prizes will be awarded. 

SHOOTING HOURS. 

Tuesday, 10 a. m., to 12 ; 1 p. m., to 
7 p. m. 

Wednesday, 8.30 a. m., to 12 ; 1 p. m., to 
6 :30 p. m. 

Except target of honor which closes at 3. 

Members of the bund will bear in mind 
not to wait until the last minute to shoot on 
the Target of Honor. All targets open to 
all comers, excepting Targets of Honor and 
Military Target. 

A prize will be given for the largest 
Uniform Schuetzen company in line. 

COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS. 

E. H. Kroeber, Chairman. 

Robert Phillippi, Secretary. 

G. Anschuetz, Shooting Master. 

Chris. Glasnapp, F. Anschuetz, A. 
Oefinger, Julius Kuntze, Max Stroebel, C. 
F. Fox. 



FIREWORKS FOR WEEK. 

MONDAY, JUNE 11. 
Display at Hanover park. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12. 
Display at Hanover Park. 



WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

Display at Terrace Garden, by Central 
Labor Union. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 14. 
Di.splay at Hanover Park. 

FRIDAY, JUNE 15. 
Display at Hanover Park. 

SATURDAY .JUNE 16. 
Di.=play at Hanover Park. 



STATE SAENGERFEST. 

at terrace garden, 
SATURDAY, JUNE 16. 

Arrival of visiting societies In the morn 
ing. Headquarters at Saengerbund hall 
State street. 

Parade 9 a. m. Form on State street, 
headed by American band, of Waterbury. 
Cross to Colony, to West Main, to Linsley 
avenue, to Hanover, to Columbus avenue, to 
Terrace Garden. 

The following societies will participate : 
The Connecticut Volksfest Verein, Walling- 
ford Eintracht, Waterbury Lyra, New Brit- 
ain Teutonia Maennerchor, Meriden Saen- 
gerbund. also societies from New Haven, 
Bridgeport and Ansonia. 

AFTERNOON. 

In the afternoon the societies of the asso- 
ciataion will enter into a singing contest, 
without the awarding of prizes, which is 
considered to be detrimental to the good 
feeling and friendship among the societies 
by the Bund. 

The numbers rendered at this contest 
will be : 

1 — Heimatsrosen A. Opladen 

Wallingford Eintracht. 

2 — Mein Lied G. Angerer 

Waterbury Lyra. 

3 — Im Grasse M. Spicker 

New Britain Teutonia Maennerchor. 

4 — Rheinische Brautfahrt F. Ullrich 

Meriden Saengerbund. 

Afterwards all the societies will combine 
and render : 

1 — Muttersprache F. Hegar 

2 — Landkennung Ed. Grieg 

3 — America. 

With the accompaniment of the American 
Band. 

Musical Director of the Association — Prof. 
J. H. Keller, of Meriden. 



HORSE RACES 

at trotting PARKj 
JUNE 12 AND 13, 1906. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 12. 

2 :35 class Purse $200 

2 :22 class Purse $200 

2 :18 clas Purse $200 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

2:30 class Purse $200 

2 :30 free for all race Purse $200 

5 minute class for local horses 

75 bushels of oaU 



44 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



CONDITIONS. 

N. T. A. rules to govern except hopples 
will not be barred. 

Six to enter, five to start. 

In case classes do not fill mixed races will 
be made up as follows : 

2 :24 trot or pace. 

2 :40 trot or pace. 

Same purses, entries accordingly ; mile 
heats best two in three. 

Entrance in purse classes 5 per cent. 

Entries close with entrance money on 
June 10 with the secretary, T. F. McCar- 
thy, 223 Pratt street, Meriden, Conn. 

Purses paid at wire. 



sumed and various votes passed. Proposal 
of five mill tax awakens opposition but mo- 
tion prevails. Peck remembers. Parson 
Ripley's words. 



REPRODUCTION FIRST TOWN 
MEETING OF MERIDEN 

HELD JUNE 16, 1806, 

AT AUDITORIUM OF TOWN HALL., 

S.A.TURDAY, JUNE 16, 1906. 

Dr. Ensign Hough Dr. G. A. Hill 

Moses Barns Waldemar C. Hirschfeld 

Amos White, Town Clerk 

Rev. A. W. Shaw 

George W. Stanley, Moderator 

: Hugh F. Hagarty 

Giles O. Griswold William C. Brown 

Absalom Royce Albert A. Gustine 

Hezekiah Prindle Frank L. Burleigh 

Rev. Erastus Ripley . . Sherman F. Johnson 

Herodotus Peck Arthur W. Taylor 

Jehu Preston Charles M. Glantz 

Deacon Mitchell Henry L. Carpenter 

Dr. Isaac Hough, son of Dr. Ensign 
Hough Willis J. Prouty 

Electors present at meeting — H. D. Bee- 
be. William R. Smith, Fred. S. Hitchcock, 
Albert R. Chamberlain, Alfred B. Savage, 
Herbert Billian, August H. Riecke Ed- 
ward D. Bradstreet, Nelson C. Johnson, 
Stanley White, Dwight Ives, Stanley Lynn, 
Clifford Parsons, Charles Phelps, Edw. T. 
Joel, Walter L. Immich, Leroy W. Gar- 
diner, Samuel McNabb, John B. Dunlop, 
Herbert C. May, Edwin E. Gibson, Theo- 
dore Weber, Harold Spencer Ed. L. 
Montgomery, E. M. Ives, Ed. Hart, Pom- 
eroy Wilcox, H. Burdette Evarts, Oliver 
R. McCarthy, Jr., Burton R. Miller, William 
Wear, Lewis E. Wood and Albert Graham. 

SYNOPSIS OF TOWN MEETING. 

Preliminary — Electors gather for meet- 
ing. Moses Barns views. He objects to Wal- 
lingford man for moderator. Discussion 
of current events, local and national. 
Barns expresses antipathy to Dr. Hough and 
"the whole Hough tribe". 

The Meeting — Meeting called to order by 
Moderator George W. Stanley, of Walling- 
ford. Amos White reads the General As- 
sembly's resolution Incorporating the town of 
Meriden. Herodotus Peck's unsophisticated 
views. Propriety of wearing hats in meet- 
ing discussed and matter decided. Dr. 
Hough's offer of tavern for meeting place 
brings forth caustic comment from Barns. 
Dr. Hough's patriotic speech. Peck forgets. 
Absalom Royce emits eloquence. Election of 
town officers. Barns disciplined. Heze- 
kiah Prindle's solemn thoughts. Election re- 



COLONIAL BALL 

AT AUDITORIUM OF TOWN HALL. 
FRIDAY, JUNE 15. 

Guests : — Putnam Phalanx and ladies. 
Hartford, Conn. 

Reception to Putnam Phalanx and ladles 
and concert by Hill's Orchestra of 25 pieces 
from 8 to 8 :30 o'clock. 

ORCHESTRA PROGRAMME. 

1 — Coronation March from Opera of 

Folkunger Kretschmer 

2 — (a) Roses Bendix 

(b) Sorella Ch. Borel-Clero 

3 — Tone Poem, "Apple Blossoms" K. Roberts 

BAND PROGRAMME. 

Concert by Bayne's Renowned 69th Regi- 
ment Band of New York, 8:30 to 9:30. 

1 — Overture, Raymond Thomas 

2 — Morceau Characterlstique Whispering 

Flowers Von Blon 

3 — Pilgrims Chorus and Romanza, from 

Tannhauser Wagner 

4 — Flute Solo Selected 

Performed by Mr. G. C. Stanzione. 
5 — Grand Fantasia, American 

Victor Herbert 

Dancing from 9 :30 to 3 a. m. Orchestra 
and Band alternating. 

Supper served from 10:30 to 1:30. W. H. 
A. Maynard, Caterer. 

Minuet by Putnam Phalanx and ladies at 
11:30. 

Reception Committee — J. H. Hinsdale, 
chairman ; C. E. Stockder, jr., Robert 
G. Church, George Ohl, Howard L. Steven- 
son, I. Burton Miller, J. F. McDonnell, Cor- 
nelius Cahill, jr., Chas. W. Clock, Fred Bil- 
lard, Wm. E. Hinsdale, Waldemar C. 
Hirschfeld, Arthur D. Meeks, Geo. H. Yea- 
mans, J. A. Roberge, Howard R. Curtis, 
George M. Curtis, Herman Hess, Francis 
Atwater, Wilbur F. Davis, Chas. F. Monroe, 
Dr. E. T. Bradstreet, E. J. Doolittle, Geo. 
W. Couch, Mayor T. L. Reilly, Dexter L. 
Bishop, Jas. H. White, Wm. A. Kelsey, 
Clarence P. Bradley, Geo. W. Miller, Chas. 
H. Tredennick, Frank K. Sands, H. Wales 
Lines. Jos. S. Stokes, Robt. W. Carter, A. 
Chamberlain. Geo. F. Rogers, E. E. Smith, 
W. H. Catlin, L. M. Hubbard, Frank S. 
Fay, Frank D. Smith, Chas. B. Bowen, Mrs. 
Jas. H. Hinsdale, Mrs. C. E. Stockder, Mrs. 
Geo. Ohl. Mrs. I. Burton Miller, Mrs. John 
F. McDonnell, Mrs. C. W. Glock, Mrs. A. D. 
Meeks, Mrs. G. H. Yeamans, Mrs. G. M. 
Curtis, Mrs. Herman Hess, Mrs. Francis 
Atwater, Mrs. Wilbur F. Davis, Mrs. Chas. 
F. Monroe, Mrs. E. T. Bradstreet, Mrs 
Geo. W. Couch, Mrs. J. A. Roberge, Mrs. T. 
L. Reilly, Mrs. J. H. White, Mrs. W. A 
Kelsey, Mrs. Geo. W. Miller, Mrs. C. H 
Tredennick, Mrs. F. E. Sands, Mrs. H. 
Wales Lines, Mrs. J. S. Stokes, Mrs. A. 
Chamberlain, Mrs. E. E. Smith, Mrs. W. 
H. Catlin, Mrs. L. M. Hubbard, Mrs. F. S. 
Fay, Mrs. F. D. Smith, Mrs. C. B. Bowen. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



45 



CENTENNIAL CONCERT 

AT FIRST METHODIST CHURCH, 8 P. M. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13. 

Chorus of 150 singers. Mr. G. Frank 
Goodale. Director. 

Orchestra selected from the Meriden Sym- 
phony Orchestra. 

PART FIRST. 

Music of the Present Time. 

1 — Overture to "Zampa" ' Herold 

2 — Hallelujah Chorus, "Mount of 
Olives" Beethoven 

3 — Glee, "Stars of the Summer Night" 
G. P. Goodale 

4 — Sextette, What From Vengeance Yet 
Restrains Me, "Lucia di Lammermoor" 
Donizetti 

5 — Chorus, When Spring Comes Laugh- 
ing Fanlng 

6 — Anthem, The Lord Himself 

F. T. Southwick 

PART SECOND. 

Music of the Olden Time. 

1 — Overture, ^Medley Stephen Foster 

2 — Auld Lang Syne 

By Chorus and Congregation. 
3 — Anthem. Strike the Cymbal . . . Pucitta 
4 — Dost thou Love Me. Sister Ruth . . . 

Parry 

5 — Anthem, Before Jehovah's Awful 

Throne Madan 

6 — Song, Old Folks at Home Foster 

7 — Song, Cousin Jedediah .... Thompson 
8 — Hymns : 

Majesty Billings 

Portland Maxim 

9 — Duet. Reuben, Reuben. 
10 — Anthem, Sound the Loud Timbrel . . . 

Avison 

11 — Anthem, Jerusalem My Glorious Home 

Dr. Lowell Mason 

12 — Song, Centennial Hymn, Meriden, My 

Meriden. 
(To tune Mv Marvland"!. Words by Thos. 
L. Reilly. 
Chorus and Congregation to sing. 



CENTENNIAL HYMN. 
I. 
One hundred years are in the past, 

Meriden ! My ^Meriden ! 
Since thou alone thy lot did^t cast, 

Meriden ! My Meriden ! 
Though loth to leave thy mother town. 
And on thy going she did frown, 
Thy cour.=e to thee hath brought renown, 

Meriden ! My Meriden ! 
II. 
And now that mother points with pride, 

Meriden '. My Meriden ! 
Lauds thee for thy progressive stride, 

Meriden ! My Meriden ! 



Helps welcome thy returning sons. 
To greet them with thee, swiftly runs, 
Helps fire the glad Centennial guns, 
Meriden ! My Meriden ! 

III. 

There is no stain upon thy shield, 

Meriden ! My Meriden ! 
To none in civic pride you yield 
Meriden : .My Meriden ! 
A heart thafs loyal to the core. 
Will always keep thee to the fore, 
Still greater things hast thou in store, 
Meriden ! My Meriden ! 

IV. 

Then let us in these glorious days, 

Meriden I My Meriden I 
Seek guidance true in all thy ways, 

Meriden : My Meriden ! 
Ask Him who made our Hanging Hills 
To keep us free from strife and ills. 
And lead us in the path He wills, 
Meriden ! My Meriden ! 



TRAIN SERVICE. 

Trains leave Meriden as follows : 

For Hartford, Springfield, Boston, Albany 
and North: Express trains, 1:39, 4:36 (to 
Hartford). 10:20, 10:30, 11:27 a. m., 1:20 
2 :12 4 :30, 6 :22, 7 :35 p. m. ; Accommoda- 
tion trains, 7 :19, 8 :29 a m. ; 1 :50, 3 :46, 
5:46 6:38 (to Hartford), 10:50 p. m., Sun- 
day express trains 1 :39, 9 :43 a. m., 6 :22, 
7 :45 p. m. Accommodation trains, 12 :50, 
6:01, 8:49, 9:45 p. m. 

For New Haven and New York : Ex- 
press trains, 3:55, 7:25, 8:56, 11:31 a. m., 
12:51,3:18,3:29,5:31 6 :31, 7 :29, p.m. Ac- 
commodation trains, 6 :02, 8 :35, 11 :06 a. 
m., 1:19, 4:11, 6:08, 8:14, 10:43 p. m. 
Sunday express trains, 3 :55 a. m., 4 :24, 
6 :31, 7 :29 p. m. Accommodation trains, 
8:04, 10:15, 11:25 a. m., 1:21, 10:30 p. m. 

Boston, Worcester and Providence via. 
Hartford and Willimantic, 10 :30 a. m., 4 :30 
p. m. 

For Waterbury (via Meriden branch) 
7 :00 a. m., 2 :35 p. m. For Middletown 
(via Meriden branch) 10:11 a. m., 6:58 
p. m. 



ELECTRIC CAR SERVICE. 

Electric cars for Wallingford. connecting 
for New Haven and the south leave the cor- 
ner of West Main and Hanover on the even 
hours and half hours. 

Electric cars for Southington, connecting 
at Milldale with cars for Cheshire and Wa- 
terbury : at Lazy Lane for Plainville, New 
Britain and Hartford and at Lake Com- 
pounce for Bristol, leave the corner of West 
Main and Colony streets on the even hour 
and half hour. 



46 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




DR. WILLIAM S. JOHNSON, 

AUTHOR OF COMMEMORATION POEM. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 4/ 



COMMEMORATION POEM 



[Dr. William S. Johnson-] 

Beyond the Hanging Hills the sun, low sinking, 

Bursts through the fire-brimm'd cloud a blaze of light, 

And far below, in rosy answer twinkling, 
Shimmer the city panes emblazon'd bright. 

A moment shines that splendor swift, new tinting 
The scarf of cloud along the western sky, 

And like a gothic window, golden glinting, 
The cottage in the valley makes reply. 

As when at night a castle, all aglow 

F'rom lights within, shows pictur'd knight and dame, 
Bronze helm and red robe, and the colors flow 

Like a broad stream when marge-lit bonfires flame. 

And the dead past awakens ; so that glory, 

Caught from the fire of the red sun's last ray, 

Wakes and makes radiant for us the story 
Of all for which we set apart this day. 

Not of the brazen helf those knights great-hearted 
Who reared their homes among the forest trees; 

An age of golden toil that time departed. 

When faith led strong hearts over stormy seas. 

High hopes they had to make the wild waste flower 
And fill with fruit the valley far and wide ; 

Love crowned their hopes, and brought the precious dower 
Of happiness in toiling side by side- 

Daily the hamlet grew, and each day fairer 
With gifts of God to crown the newer age; 

And in her beauty we are each made sharer. 
And joint possessor of that heritage. 



48 CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 

Still round our valley sweep the hills unshaken, 
Still guards the highwa}' where the wild birds wing 

The face rock-graven, while fresh flowers awaken 
Down the long slopes with each succeeding spring. 

And where the higher mountains tower o'er us, 
Xew paths are found wherein our feet may tread, 

There the soft lake lies tremulous before us, 
Sleeping and dreaming in its rocky bed. 

For all the past has brought us, w-e the living, 

In the ripe summer of prosperity, 
Bring to our fathers praises and thanksgiving. 

And consecrate this day of jubilee. 

Naught that is great is perfect, still are rising 
New walls and towers; whatsoe'er we do, 

The future still is theme of our surmising. 
The past is ever promise of the new. 

O trumpet tongues with joyous songs upwelling. 
Lift high the hymn of triumph and of praise. 

Pour forth the strains of sweetest music swelling 
Exultant in the pride of happy days. 

Yet even now a voice like soft bell tolling, 
Away from boast to reverie w'ould call. 

Bidding us linger not for vain extolling, 
But heed the solemn writing on the wall. 

We see the red rose flaunt its pride and wither, 
The breath of winter blast the yellow corn ; 

The wind that swept the white cloud flying hither 
Shall drive it far away before the morn. 

The moth shall gnaw the purple robe, the treasure 
Of silver and of gold shall pass away ; 

Our city's power and worth we may not measure 
By things whose twilight cometh in a da\-. 

We have not built a town of wood and stone, 
Crumbling to ashes in a changing clime ; 

Of men is built our city, thus alone 
We build secure and triumph over time. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 

Ours be the soul that stirs to noble action, 
The pulse that quickens when the cause is true, 

The will that swerveth not with storm or faction, 
That flattery- cannot sway or hate subdue. 

The spirit of devotion, ever yearning 

Higher ideals to follow and fulfill, 
Seeking the means to sers-e through all our learning 

In the white marble crown that caps our hill. 

Nor idly would we turn the storied pages, 
Making a pastime of the book we read, 

But strive to summon from the vanish'd ages 
Wisdom to guide us in the hour of need. 

Wisdom we ask for, and the strong compassion 
That links us heart to heart and hand to hand. 

O for the purpose firm and sure to fashion 
A commonwealth of power to bless our land. 

This be our aim and goal of our contriving, 
The truer glor\- and the higher praise, 

The crown of peace above our earthly striving 
That lures us on to yet untravel'd ways. 

Beyond our narrow paths the hills are lying, 

Beyond the hills there gleams a beckoning light. 

"Lead and we follow," our very souls are crying, 
"Lead and we follow to that unconquer'd height." 

Swift are the fading hours ; the day will wane. 
And these our little splendors shine no more. 

O may their inspiration still remain 
When all the passing pageantry is o'er. 

Now sets the sun. Lo! like the eye of heaven 
Shines the soft radiance of the evening star. 

Star of our life! to Thee the praise be given; 
Guide us aright, Thou in whose hands we are. 



49 



50 CKXTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



CENTENNIAL GREETING 



[F. L. Hamilton.] 



Where once the regicides, in sore distress, 

Flying before a monarch's stern decree 
From shelt'ring cave, beyond the wilderness, 

A covert found we gladly welcome thee. 
The freedom of the City greets you here, 

While pleasure riots thro' Centennial week. 
And hospitality awaits to cheer 

The pilgrims, who a friendly harbor seek. 

Staying conception, till thro' lengthening strife 
That peace obtained, which gave a nation birth, 

From Wallingford sprang forth a lusty life, 

Whose fame runs broadcast now, throughout the earth 

Stray where you will, some old-world path essays. 
Her silvery voice forestalls your eager knock, 

And morning's dawn (by the w'ay of courtesy) 
Wakes on the summons of a Parker clock. 

Yet e'er from slumber's drowsy couch you leap, 

To meet again Apollo's urgent call. 
The Angelus' soft music lulls to sleep 

And Somnus holds your captive wits in thrall. 
Throw off dull lethargv' to join in sport, 

The hunter's ramble, and e'er day is done, 
You calmly listen for the sharp report 

That lifts the trophy, with a Parker gun. 

So, might our civic pride still lead us on. 

In egotistic hope to entertain. 
But better, while you wander o'er the town. 

Let observation sing its own refrain ; 
Or, if you be a spoke within some wheel. 

Whose progress doth the City's good enhance. 
Though other hands may guide, yet may }ou feel 

Yourself a factor, in its broad advance. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 5 1 

Not brawn alone, nor brain, in fash"ning well, 

The varied industries of life's demands, 
Gives promise of to-morrow's pedestal, 

On which our Citj-'s reputation stands 
But where the '"Hanging Hills" majestic, rise, 

Above the nestling town, in watchful care, 
(Their hopeful offspring of keen enterprise) 

What aspirations may her children share! 

Oft have we seen the threat'ning wind-clouds rise 

Around her rugged peaks, in angry mood. 
Till she, with cunning more than w-orldly-wise, 

Drew them aside, and Boreas' force withstood, 
Or, when at da}-break. on her simimit, lowers 

The fleec)^ veil of cloud that half conceals 
Her time-worn face, she warns of coming showers 

And nature's kind telepathy reveals. 

And through the Fathers, as the years rolled by. 

Beyond the valley viewed those cliffs, outlined 
In bold relief, upon the distant sky. 

Not theirs the privilege to us assigned 
For now, we hail, through kindly Providence. 

A benefactor to the public good. 
Our keen delight his meagre recompense. 

As we invade the forest's solitude. 

Wouldst thou a feast attend of glad surprise. 

And worship Nature's handiwork anew? 
Let "Castle Craig" reward your exercise. 

With all her panoramic wealth of view% 
Across the vale, tipon the City's bound, 

Mount Lamentation looms above her lake. 
And Buckwheat Hill, below, in greenish mound, 

Recalls to mind the good old-fashioned cake. 

Oh! shades of bygone days, what sacrilege, 

While thy lone monument still marks the place 
Where our forefathers (treasured privilege) 

"God's Acre" planned, upon its sightly face. 



52 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 

Yet sentiment still clinging to the past, 

Its mellow touch ennobling lives, too strenuous, 

Stands sponsor for thy sacred hill at last 
Whose quaint name, "Meeting House," appeals to us. 

Gone are the taverns of our Grandsire's day. 

The stage-coach lingers only as a dream. 
And olden paths to new are giving way, 

Full soon we too must mingle with the stream ; 
Now opes the future on far broader fields, 

Whose opportunities await the man 
Of action, where approved endeavor wields 

The sceptre of success, who wisely plan. 

Grim hardships of the yesterdays gone by, 

Become the pages of a passing hour. 
For lo, where education's rich supply, 

Neighbors our library (the widow's dower). 
Oh. Meriden ! what heritage is thine. 

Gift of the century's good men, and true, 
Whose names with retrospective lustre shine. 

For us, "they builded better than they knew 1" 




MERIDEN HOUSE, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



53 




I. O. O. F. BUILDING, STATE STREET. 



54 CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



FINANCING THE CELEBRATION 



It was recognized from the beginning and even before the magni- 
tude of the celebration dawned upon the committee, that ample funds 
must be provided. Without plenty of means to do with it would be 
useless to go ahead, as Meriden could not afford to have the reputation 
of doing things by halves ; everything must be done well or not at all. 
This was the sentiment from the start and from the first meeting of the 
general committee until its last to arrange details, there was a unanim- 
itv of expression that every deserving scheme should be heartily en- 
dorsed and liberally supported. Nearly every meeting was largely at- 
tended and an average of eleven out of fifteen members were present. 

That immediate money for incidental purposes should be in hand it 
was voted to ask each member of the several committees appointed, ex- 
cepting the ladies, the clergymen, and the Wallingford committee, to 
contribute $5. There was an immediate response from nearly 200, so 
that between $900 and $1,000 was realized. This relieved the embar- 
rassment of working with an empty treasury, and enabled the paying 
of all bills until money was paid in from other sources. 

There was a general feeling outside of the committee that its organ- 
ization a year and eight months before the celebration was to take place 
was a mistake, but it did not prove so. There were so many things 
to be thought out, so nuich to be discussed, so many state conventions 
to be invited, which had to be accepted or voted upon perhaps more 
than a year ahead ; the passing of a statute by the Legislature giving 
the committee special privileges, and many other matters to be con- 
sidered, that the time was consumed, and the eve of Old Home Week 
was at hand with many things yet to be done. 

One of the first sources of income to be considered was a proposition 
from The Journal Publishing company to print a Souvenir History cov- 
ering Meriden's hundred years of progress, to be called "A Century of 
Meriden," ten per cent, of the gross proceeds to be given to the Cen- 
tennial fund. This was approved, with thanks and netted the treasury 
nearly $1,300. The historical part was written by President George 
M. Curtis, who proved himself an indefatigable worker; also a charm- 
ing and entertaining writer. The book contains 1,238 pages, and it is 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 55 

safe to say there is no town history in the United States which covers 
so much detail or is so well illustrated. , 

The Business JNIen's Association offered to take charge of a pure 
food exhibition at Hanover Park, the net receipts to be paid the Cen- 
tennial. It was voted to accept the offer and while the returns were 
not as much as it was anticipated they would be, yet a fairly good sum 
— $758 — was realized. In this connection it had been arranged with 
the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R. to sell excursion tickets from every station 
upon its line in the state, with a coupon attached which should admit 
the bearer to the exhibition, the railroad agreeing to redeem all coupons 
presented at fifteen cents each. The income fell short from the fact 
that so many attractions had been provided near the center of the city 
that visitors would not travel the mile and one-half to Hanover Park, 
even though street car coupons to and from were also provided with 
the excursion ticket. 

While it was expected that the income from all sources would 
equal or exceed the expenditures, the fact that the members of the Gen- 
eral Committee were personally liable for all obligations, made it ad- 
visible to provide for deficiencies, should such exist owing to bad weather 
or any other cause. 

It was, therefore, determined, to establish a "guarantee fund," pledges 
of $100 each being asked of the public-spirited people of the town. It 
was thought best to secure these pledges to finance the undertaking and 
give the Centennial a footing that it would not otherwise have. The 
committee drew up an explanation of the situation W'hich was as follows : 

"The Centennial committee for the celebration expected to be held 
here in this city in June, 1906, is endeavoring to so arrange whereby 
the receipts to be derived from the various sources will be sufficient to 
cover the expenses. It is, however, obvious that the committee, which 
is composed of fifteen citizens, cannot undertake to become personally 
liable for the bills contracted to make the celebration a pronounced suc- 
cess and a credit to all its citizens. 

"It has, therefore, been considered necessary to create a guarantee 
fund and in obtaining your subscription it is understood that no por- 
tion of the same shall be called for until after the close of the Centennial 
and a deficiency found to exist, and then only for an equal amount with 
each subscriber hereto and not exceeding the amount of the subscrip- 
tion. No bills can be contracted without the approval of a special com- 
mittee of three careful and conservative business men. 



56 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



The following forty-five names 
George M. Curtis, 
E. J. Doolittle, 
J. H. White, 
H. Wales Lines, 
C. J. Danaher, 
Francis Atwater, 
A. Chamberlain, 
Henry Dry hurst, 
John L. Billard, 
Wilbur H. Squire, 
Walter Hubbard 
Charles F. Rockwell, 
E. W. Smith, 
Eugene A. Hall, 
H. T. Smith Express company, 
John Q. Thayer, 
C. M. Williams, 
C. F. Linsley 
Robert J. Merriam, 
J. H. Bowker, 
E. D. Smith, 
Dexter L. Bishop, 



were the subscribers : 

George H. Wilcox, 
Samuel Dodd, 
Arthur S. Lane, 

F. E. Sands, 

C. Bancroft Gillespie, 
W. A. Kelsey, 
C. F. Monroe, 

G. E. Savage, 
C. B. Rogers, 
C. L. Rockwell, 
N. L. Bradley, 
C. P. Bradley, 
Charles T. Dodd,' 

B. W. Collins, 
F. E. Bemis, 
R. W. Carter, 
Edward Miller, 
Russell Hall, 

C. W. Cahill, 
Dexter W. Parker, 
J. D. Eggleston, 
George J\L Clark, 

Stevens. 



Holt & 

By the burning of the opera house in March, 1906, leaving the town 
without any hall to hold the numerous events booked to take place 
there, the committees were forced to provide other places for holding 
many of the exercises, incurring a probable unlooked-for expense and 
the expenditure of money before its receipt. It was then determined to 
ask the town for an appropriation, and at a special town meeting, held 
May 15, the following vote was passed unanimously: 

Voted, That the sum of, $5,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated 
for the purpose of defraying the expenses incident to the celebration 
of the Centennial anniversary of the town, and that said sum be ex- 
pended under the direction of the General Centennial Committee. 

The loss of the opera house by fire caused an effort to be made to se- 
cure the completion of the new auditorium at the Town hall, and by spe- 
cial arrangement this was secured by vote of the town, which assumed 
the control of the building from June 7 to June 19, and all damages to 
person or property. Many of the exercises were held there, including 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 57 

the colonial ball, G. A. R. encampment and reproduction of the first town 
meeting. The historical exercises were held at the First Congregational 
church, and the presentation of the tablet to the town by Susan Carring- 
ton Clarke chapter, D. A. R., and the Centennial concert at the First 
Methodist church. 

Another plan to increase the income was to issue a souvenir pro- 
gramme. This was placed in charge of the Publicity committee, the 
arrangement and detail falling entirely on the shoulders of its chair- 
man, F. E. Sands. It was a valuable publication and the information 
contained was exhaustive. It was a pamphlet of forty-eight pages and 
cover, size 8x12 inches: an edition of 25,000 being printed. It netted 
the Centennial in round figures $1,800. 

The next large revenue producer was the Committee on Licenses and 
Privileges. They were all hustlers. They arranged and managed three 
separate "Midways," one on the Cahill lot on Pratt street, and two 
others on Church and South Grove streets, which were closed to traffic 
for the week. The "Midways" were filled with all kinds of attractions, 
fakirs, fortune tellers, palm readers, big and little shows, hawkers and 
peddlers. A percentage or license fee was collected from each and 
every source, netting some $1,800 to the good. Too much praise can- 
not be bestowed upon Chairman A. D. Meeks, Secretary George L. 
King, Treasurer P. T. O'Brien, W. C. Mueller, J. F. Williams, Dr. E. 
M. Beckley, E. P. Golden and others, who put in a strenuous week. 

The committee on sports arranged many attractions. The athletics, 
given at the Trotting park, were not self-supporting, the field being too 
far from the electric cars to be reached without walking three-quarters 
of a mile or paying extra fare. The horse trotting paid $100 for li- 
cense, and baseball games at Hanover park netted $250. 

The sale of Centennial buttons, pins, and badges, appropriately 
inscribed, of beautiful design, furnished more income. The invitations 
to be sent to guests, finally came into demand as souvenirs, and several 
hundred extra were struck oft" to supply the demand of those who 
wished to purchase for keepsakes. 

Thus about $7,000 was raised from the dift'erent sources designed to 
make the Centennial self-supporting; $5,000 more was appropriated by 
the town, and $4,500 was pledged by individuals, making $16,500 at 
the committee's disposal to make the affair the success it proved to be. 

It is gratifying to report that only about $600 of the town appropri- 
ation was used and it was not necessary to call for a dollar of the 
$4,500 pledged. 



58 



Ci:XTEN.\I.\L ol- MKRIDEX. 



OPENING OF OLD HOME WEEK 



It was expected that a consolidated band concert on Saturday even- 
ing', June 9. would be the opening entertainment, but a heavy down- 
pour of rain prevented. The town at this time had taken on a uni- 
versal holiday appearance, the streets, public buildings, blocks, shops,. 
houses, all being adorned with flags and bunting and electric effects 
that showed a feeling of patriotism had swept the community. In- 
deed, it was in the air, and the pessimist who had all along predicted the 
Centennial would be a fizzle, found himself joining in the enthusiasm 
of the hour, proclaiming it a success, and defying any one to show 
another town ever so thoroughly decorated as Meriden was then. It 
became an era of good fellowship and when Sunday morning came 
with a cloudless sky with one accord everybody settled down to a week 
of good natured enjoyment and contentment. 

(Jut of town people began to arrive early Saturday morning, so that 
by night nearly every home had one or more visitors. The Turner 
society, the leading German association, gave a reception to the dele- 
gates who had come to attend the big turnfest, which was one of the 
principal features of the week. The visitors were welcomed by the 
officers of the societv. citv and town and Centennial ofticials. 




AEOLIAX FACTORY, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTEX XIAL OF MERIDEX, 



59 



Sunday Observances, June 10, 1906 



Sunday was principally given up to 
religious observances in the churches, 
the first of the day being held in St. 
Rose's R. C. church at 10:30 in the 

morning. 

ST. ROSE'S (R. C.) CHURCH. 

In honor of the occasion Rt. Rev. 
Michael Tierney, bishop of Hartford, 
was present and he was attended by 
Rev. John T. Lynch, of St. Joseph's 
church, and Rev. John Cooney, of St. 
Rose's church. The officers of the 
mass were all former members of St. 
Rose's church. They were Rev. James 
Harvey, of Crossingville, Pa., celebrant ; 
Rev. R. C. Gragan, of West Hartford, 
deacon; Rev. Dennis Hurley, sub-dea- 
con ; Rev. L. A. Guinan, St. Rose's, 
master of ceremonies. 

Seats were reserved for members of 
the Centennial committee and city and 
town officers, and a large number at- 
tended. 

The sermon was preached by Rev. 
Dr. James P. Donovan, pastor of St. 
John's church, Middletown. He is a 
native of Meriden. He is a forceful 
speaker, and among other things he 
said: 

DR. Donovan's sermon. 

"Right Reverend Bishop, brethren of 
the clergy and brethren of the laity: In 
the world's annals or the records of our 
young republic the centennary of Mer- 
iden which we celebrate to-day is of the 
slightest importance but to us it is a 
matter of considerable moment. Within 
the limits of the Silver City there is 
only a very small part of the great coun- 
try of which it is a part. 

"We should remember that numbers 
and wealth are no criterion by which 
we judge, and it is well for us to come 
together to pay tribute to the men who 
have made the history of the two for 
the 100 years. The whole is no greater 
or stronger than any of its component 
parts. While we look with pride upon 



the hisory of the last 100 years, the 
growth in wealth and importance of the 
town and city, we should endeavor to 
find something of the good which has 
been accomplished in that time, the im- 
provement in moral and social con- 
ditions as well as in material, things. 
We should live and work so that our 
descendants a hundred years hence may 
look with pride upon what we have been 
able in part to accomplish. 

"As we look about us to-day and 
think of the old town of Wallingford 
and Meriden which sprang from it 100 
years ago we note a great change in 
the religion and racial characteristics 
of the people. In all we fail to find the 
old puritanical form of religion. Eng- 
lish is not the only language spoken on 
our streets. Sumter and Grant are 
simply meaningless words to the ma- 
jority of the vast army of immigrants 
who have come to our shores during 
the past few years. Our great task is 
to develop morality and patriotism 
among these people. The American 
people claim that their resources are 
equal to the demand. Among the uni- 
fying forces I here to-day place the 
Roman Catholic church near the head 
of the line. No matter where the im- 
migrant comes from there is one fa- 
miliar thing which greets his eyes 
among all the strangeness of the new 
country. It is the altar of the Catholic 
church where the sacrifices of the mass 
are offered. The voice of the priest 
reading the mass is familiar to him. 
The Catholic church is using and will 
continue to use her wonderful power 
among these people in the cause of 
right living and good citizenship. 

"The disappearance of dogmatic reli- 
gion is filling with dismay all deep 
thinkers outside the Roman Catholic 
church. Our church teaches reverence 
to God, the Bible is taught to our peo- 
ple, the sanctity of the home and the 
respect due the government, is incul- 
cated into their minds and lives. 



6o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 





RT. REV. MICHAEL TIERNEY, 
Bishop Diocese of Connecticut. 



REV. JOHN COONEY, 
Rector St. Rosc"s Church. 





REV. JOHN T. LYNCH, 
Rector St. Joseph's Church. 



REV. WILLL\M JUDGE, 
Assistant St. Joseph's Clnirch. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



6i 



"In our courts last year there were 
100,000 divorce cases and in that num- 
ber there was not one practical Cath- 
olic. The very men who would have 
been banished in the days of Doolittle, 
Street and Hooker are among the num- 
ber who are now doing a great deal 
for the good of the country by teach- 
ing the purest and noblest ideals of life 
to the people. The Catholic church is 
following the commission of Christ 
when He told His disciples to go into 
the world and preach the gospel to all 
men. It has constantly labored to ful- 
fill that mission. The Catholic church 
educated all Europe in the true civil- 
ization. In our own country the Cath- 
olic church expends millions annually 
to educate its children while the mem- 
bers are compelled to contribute toward 
the support of other schools. In the 
Catholic schools the mental, moral and 
physical being is instructed and any 
school which does not do this is a great 
failure. It is not only a failure but 
militates against the best interests of the 
country. Take the Catholic church out 
of the country and you will have left 
only a pagan civilization. To this 
church must be given the credit for a 
large share of the good that has been 
accomplished in the past 100 years. 

"]\Ieriden's progress in the past cen- 
tury should not be measured by the 
wealth of its industries or its material 
prosperity. These must be accompanied 
by moral and religious progress. The 
Catholic church has conferred a signal 
service on Meriden. Her children form 
one-third of the population and she has 
made them supporters of the best in 
life. They oppose all forms of wrong, 
furnish the brawn and brains in your 
factories; in fact they have spared 
neither time nor life itself when the 
country has needed their services. 

"Catholics of Meriden, do not expect 
to receive credit for all that you have 
done for your beloved city, but continue 



to toil under the auspices of that grand 
church which has withstood the storms- 
and, thank God ! will withstand them. 

"Catholics of Meriden, you are com- 
missioned by Christ Himself to go forth 
and teach. Not any old thing, but that 
which He has told you. He says, 'And 
lo, I am with you always even to the 
consummation of the world.' " 

This was the text upon which Dr. 
Donovan based his sermon. The music 
was well rendered by the regular choir, 
under Mrs. Gleeson's direction and 
consisted principally of Dumont's new 
chant. 

BISHOP SPEAKS. 

At the conclusion of the mass Bishoi> 
Tierney took occasion to speak as fol- 
lows : 

"My friends, I wish to thank Father 
Coone}- for extending me an invitation 
to be with you to-day. I am very glad 
I was able to come. I wish to thank 
him also for arranging to have these 
clergymen, all of them children of this 
church, with us to-day, and also for 
inviting these friends not of the fold. 
I am pleased to see them here to-day. 

"Above all, we should thank God for 
the many blessings and the prosperity 
which he has showered upon us in the 
past 100 years. Much good has been 
achieved, the blessings of God have 
been frequent and numerous and we 
have before us important duties which 
we should be ready and willing to per- 
form. 

"I hope the Catholics of Aleriden will 
see their dut}^ and, as they always have, 
do it." 

The reception committee, consisting 
of Mayor T. L. Reilly, Dr. A. W. Tracv, 
C. W. Cahill Maurice O'Brien, Patrick 
Hopkins, J. H. Pallett, Jeremiah Mul- 
hall, W. F. Leahy, A. E. Hughes, Daniel 
Hurley P. F. Ryan and John P. Scully- 
acted as ushers. 



62 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



UNION SERVICES 
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 



Tlie First Congregational cluirch was 
crowded to its spacious capacity when 
the union services of the combined 
churches of tlie city took place in the 
afternoon at 3 o'clock. 

The services opened with an organ 
prelude, "Old Hundred/" arranged and 
dedicated by Organist George G. Mar- 
ble, for Meriden's Centennial. The 
magnificent organ was never heard to 
better advantage. 

A chorus composed of the combined 
quartettes of the city sang "The Heav- 
ens Are Telling," from "The Creation." 
It was made up as follows : 

Sopranos — ]\Irs. George E. Murdock, 
Miss Helen Carlson, Miss Caroline Cur- 
tiss. Miss Rose Daybill, Miss Hazel 
Harmon, Miss Leila Illingworth. Miss 
Mabel Mayne, Mrs. E. L. Montgomery, 
Miss Feme Rogers, Miss . Elizabeth 
Ziebarth. 

Altos— Mrs. A. M. Brooks, Miss 
Louise Brooks, Miss Mae Castelow, 
Miss Eliza Daybill, Mis/s Ruth Har- 
mon, ]Miss Hazel Hubbard, Mrs. S. F. 
Johnson, Miss Alma Nordstrom, Miss 
Florence Richmond, Miss Clara Sav- 
age. 

Tenors— H. L. Wheatley, A. M. 
Brooks, G. W. Samson, Dr. L. F. 
Wheatley. 

Basses — H. H. Smith, George Devaul. 
Charles Heaton, L. J. Marcy, E. L. 
Montgomery, Fred. Skinner. 

Rev. A. T. Randall, of St. Andrew's 
church, offered the prayer as follows : 

"Let us pray. Our Father who art in 
heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy 
kingdom come. Thy will be done in 
earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this 
day our daily bread. And forgive us 
our trespasses as we forgive those who 
trespass against us. And lead us not 
into temptation, but deliver us from 
evil : for Thine is the kingdom, and the 
power, and the glory, forever and ever. 
Amen. 

"O God, the God of our fathers, as 
Thou wert of old the God of Abraham, 



of Isaac, and of Jacob, on this notable 
day in the life of our community we 
yield most high praise and heart}- thanks 
to Thee for the good example of those. 
Thy servants, who in the years gone by 
laid the foundation of our town and city. 
To-day, under Thy guidance, we owe a 
debt that we little know. We are grate- 
ful to Thee for their sturdy sense, their 
unyielding reliance in righteousness, 
their robust morality, their uprightness 
and integrity ; their scorn of graft and 
of bribes, and of everything tending to 
make bad citizenship or that loveth and 
maketh a lie. Ma\' we cherish and ex- 
ercise the noble virtues that they dis- 
played, and may we transmit to our 
children the faith and righteousness 
that made them strong. 

"We beg for Thy benediction on the 
mayor of this cit}^ the common coun- 
cil, the aldermen, the courts of justice, 
the officials of the town, the board of 
education, and all others who may here 
hold office or authority, and we pray 
that they, knowing whose ministers they 
are, may above all things seek Thy 
honor and glory. May those men who 
guard us by day and who watch over 
us by night be protected from all dan- 
ger, be kept in purity of heart though 
they be the witnesses of sin. Keep 
from harm those brave men who are 
our guardians and rescuers in times of 
accident and fire. Grant that the teach- 
ers in our schools may look upon all 
children as sacred in Thy sight, using 
that patience which will never offend 
one of these little ones, training them 
in love and in Thy good will. Give to 
both employer and employe the spirit 
of nuitual confidence and regard, so 
that they may assume their several re- 
sponsibilities with an e}e single to the 
rights of each other, and may they labor 
together in the same union, in one com- 
mon fellowship and brotherhood in Jesus 
Christ ; and finally may all the members 
of this community, both old and young, 
become in Thy sight worthy citizens in 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



63 



that beautiful city of the heavenly 
kingdom where they may live with Thee 
in life everlasting. Through Jesus 
Christ, our Lord, we ask it. Amen." 

The hvmn following was announced 
V Rev.' J. H. Holden, of St. Paul's 
•church. Then followed a scripture read- 
ing by Rev. R. A. Ashworth, pastor of 
the First Baptist church. The choir 
sang "Great and Marvelous'' from "the 
Holy City," after which Rev. J. H. 
Grant, of the Center Congregational 
■cliurch, annovmced the hvmn. 



Abbott, who was then a young man 
preaching in Terre Haute, Indiana, to 
become its pastor and teacher, but he 
was then engaged in a work which he 
thought was not quite complete, and so 
he declined the call. Forty-five years 
later the town of Aleriden extended an 
invitation to Doctor Abbott to come 
and deliver this opening' address, and 
this time he has accepted. There are 
few men living to-day who have wielded 
a greater influence on public opinion 
than Doctor Lyman .Kbbott. As the 













FIRST CONGKEG.VTIONAL CHURCH. 




-^-1i 



Rev. Mr. Lord: — "H this beautiful 
Sabbath day, and this magnificent con- 
gregation made up of all the churches 
of this city, is at all prophetic of what 
the Centennial is to be, it would not 
take a prophet or the son of a prophet 
to declare that it will be eminently suc- 
cessful. We feel that we need to be 
congratulated this afternoon that one of 
the foremost citizens of this country is 
with us to deliver the opening address 
of Meriden's Centennial. In 1861 this 
church extended a call to Doctor Lyman 



successor of Henry Ward Beecher in 
Plymouth church, Brooklyn, and as the 
author of many books upon religious 
subjects, and especially as editor of 
■The Outlook.' he has stood for every 
progressive thought and movement 
which has appealed to his sense of jus- 
tice. 

"And it is my privilege and pleasure 
this afternoon to introduce Reverend 
Lvman Abbott, D. D., who will speak 
to' us on The Message of _ Puritanism 
for the Twentieth Century.' " 



64 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




REV. LYMAX ABBOTT. D. D. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



65 



SERMON BY REV. LYMAN ABBOTT, D. D. 

The Epistle to the Hebrews, the 12th 
chapter, the first and a part of the sec- 
ond verse. "Wherefore, seeing we also 
are compassed about with so great a 
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside 
every weight and the sin which doth 
so easih' beset us, and let us run with 
patience the race that is set before us; 
looking unto Jesus, the Author and Fin- 
isher of our faith." 

We have a right to believe that in 
this home-coming week of Meriden there 
will be guests here whom the eye will 
not see ; that those who have left the 
earthly for the heavenly courts will re- 
turn again to the home they loved on 
earth, to look upon their friends, and 
upon their children and upon their chil- 
dren's children, and to bring to them 
the benediction of their Father and our 
Father. It is in this faith that I_ speak 
to you this afternoon, endeavoring to 
interpret in some wise the message which 
they would bring to us. If our fathers 
are permitted to revisit and look upon 
the scenes they loved on earth, they 
will see much in this beginning of the 
twentieth century that might well amaze 
them had they not grown accustomed to 
it. Where there was a wilderness 
they will see smiling, fruitful farms ; 
where there were little village shops 
they will see great factories ; where 
there were highways with deep ruts, un- 
comfortable to travel over, they will see 
the noble highways which modern civ- 
ilization has constructed. Where they 
saw men and women chiefly journeying 
on horseback, they will see the railroad, 
the trolley car, and the automobile. 
But that is not all. They will see 
school houses and churches beyond the 
wildest dream of their imagination. 
They will wonder, perhaps, to see on 
the Sabbath day so many men and 
women not going to church, and so 
many using the day rather as a holi- 
day than as a holy day. And yet, if 
they look deeply, as surely they will, 
they can see this, that the churches 
are absolutely independent of state 
support and state control. They 
will see this : that those who go to 
church go not because they are com- 
pelled to, but because they wish to. They 
will see this: that the institutions of 
religion are the free-will offerings of a 
loyal, free people. And they will see 
this, not only in Meriden. not only in 
the New Haven and Hartford colonies. 



but they will look across the continent, 

and they will see this Greater New Eng- 
land with its churches and its school 
houses, with its free religion and 
its earnest faith separate from all 
state or political control ; and I think if 
they are still inclined to be a little hu- 
man there will be a great exultation 
which will be partly pride but chiefly 
gratitude. 

But they will also see some con- 
ditions of life which the\- will not 
like so well. They will be surprised 
at the agnosticism developed in a com- 
munity where in their time not even 
the word was known. They will think 
there is a strange lack of reverence, not 
only of children for elders, and of lay- 
men for ministers, but also of the com- 
munity for all the symbols and institu- 
tions of religion. And they will hardly 
fail to see in this country, where there 
was so much simplicity and lack of lux- 
ury or even of comfort when they were 
here, a development of selfishness and 
greed that is at once a folly and a crime. 
What will they want to say to us? 
What would be their message if they 
might give it to us to-day? What is 
the essential spirit of that Puritanism 
on which we are to reflect not only this 
afternoon but throughout this coming 
week ? 

Puritanism was more than a sect. 
It was more than a theological creed 
or an ecclesiastical organization. It was 
a religious movement. It was to be 
found in the seventeenth cenutry in the 
Episcopal church, and in the Presby- 
terian church, and in the Congrega- 
tional church. It came with new fresh- 
ness and power in the eighteenth cen- 
tury in tthe IMethodist church. The 
secret of that movement has been well 
interpreted by a writer whom I shall 
venture to quote because he will not be 
thought to be prejudiced by any eccle- 
siastical preferences. "The dominant 
idea of Puritanism," says Edward 
Dowden. the English literary critic, 
"was that the relation between the in- 
visible spirit of man and the invisible 
God is immediate rather than mediate." 
It set little store by tradition, be- 
cause God had spoken to men directly 
in the words of revelation. It dis- 
trusted human ceremonies because they 
stood between the creature and his Cre- 
ator."* This was the essential doctrme 



'Edward Dowden : Puritan and Anglican. 



66 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



of Puritanism ; that every individual 
stands in an immediate, direct personal 
relation with Almighty God. The Pur- 
itans objected not to bishops; for some 
of them remained in the Episcopal 
church. They objected to the divine 
right of bishops. They objected not to 
kings. Some of them were monarch- 
ists. They objected to the divine right 
of kings, to the doctrine that the king- 
is the Lord's annointed and that royalty 
descends by natural generation from 
father to son. They objected to the 
doctrine that the bishop is the Lord's 
appointee, and that his title descends 
by ecclesiastical appointment through 
the laying on of hands. They denied 
that the grace of God is piped and con- 
duited through generations of divine 
appointes either ecclesiastical or politi- 
cal. They believed that it descends as 
the gentle dew from heaven ; every 
flower may lift up its head and drink 
it in. That its breath is as inspiring 
and as universal as God's own pres- 
ence; every man may breathe it. 

This was the vital, essential, funda- 
mental faith of the Puritans, and this 
was the essential, vital and funda- 
mental doctrine of the democracy, ec- 
clesiastical and political, which they 
came here to establish. They came 
from across the sea, not fleeing from 
persecution. They were no cowards. 
They did not fear to meet the sword 
which their fellows met in England 
and met with success. They did not 
flee from across the sea to establish in 
this land merely a new form of gov- 
ernment, political or religious, nor to 
establish what has sometimes been 
called liberty, either political or reli- 
gious. They came to establish a theo- 
cracy ; a church without bishops, a 
state without a king, but still a church 
and still a state ; a divine church and 
a divine state, a church and a state 
founded on their faith in the universal 
presence of Almighty God. 

The Puritans have been criticised 
for attempting to fonud a theocrac}'. 
They were right. The only government 
which it is worth while to found is a 
theocratic government. They have been 
criticised for attempting to re-enact 
God's laws. They were right. The 
only laws which it is ever worth while 
to re-enact are God's laws. They have 
been criticised for laying too much em- 
phasis on law. Thev were right. Law 
is the foundation of all material civil- 



ization and of all moral civilization. 
They have been criticised for going to 
the Old Testament rather than to the 
New Testament. They were right. 
The New Testament is the book for 
instruction in individual life; the Old 
Testament is the book for instruction 
in social order; and the questions with 
which Puritanism concerned itself were 
these of the social order. They have 
been criticised for denying human lib- 
erty. They did, in some measure, deny 
human liberty. And yet their concep- 
tions of the social order embody the 
true basis of both political and religious 
liberty. They builded wisely; though 
they builded more wisely than they 
knew. These are the theses, with 
some practical applications, which I 
wish to put before you this afternoon. 
Austin, one of the great writers 
on English law thus defines it : "A 
command is an order issued by a su- 
perior to an inferior. It is the signifi- 
cation of a desire distinguished by this 
peculiarity, that the party to whom it 
is directed is liable to evil from the 
other in case he comply not with the 
desire." If you are able and willing 
to punish in case I comply not with the 
expression of your wish, the wish is a 
command. That is the doctrine of 
despotism, the doctrine that might 
makes right, that the power to hurt is 
the basis of law. That was the doctrine 
of the Stuarts and to-day it underlies 
certain modern conceptions of political 
philosophy'. The Puritans did not be- 
lieve in any such definition of law. No 
social order has proved to be perman- 
ent which has been founded on Austin's 
conception of law. It is a false con- 
ception. Law is the nature of any- 
thing CONCERNING W'HICH IT IS PRE- 
DICTED. 

Physical laws are the nature of ma- 
terial things. Moral laws are the na- 
ture of moral things. Divine laws are 
the nature of God. Law does not de- 
rive its authority from the one who 
issues it. Law is not an edict which 
is just because it can be enforced by 
penalty. The apple does not fall to the 
ground because some one says Fall. It 
is the nature of all material things to 
attract each other in a certain definite 
ratio. It is not wrong to steal be- 
cause Moses said "Thou shalt not 
steal." The right of property is in- 
herent in the social fabric, because 
society cannot exist unless that right is 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



67 



recognized. The law is not external. 
It is internal. It is not our duty to 
tell the truth because God has forbid- 
den us to lie. '"Speak ye truth, each 
with his neighbor," says Paul, "for we 
we are members one of another." Mu- 
tual confidence is the social bond ; 
falsehood dissolves it. As the laws of 
society are the nature of society, so 
the law of God is the nature of God. 
He is a righteous God because it is 
his nature to do good. He is right- 
eous because, to take the Golden Rule 
as a definition of righteousness, it is 
the nature of God to do unto others 
as he would have others do unto him. 
Law does not depend upon the king, 
nor upon the council, nor upon the 
legislature nor upon the courts. These 
discover law, they do not make it, any 
more than Isaac Newton made the law 
of gravitation or Edison the laws of 
electricity. As little does law depend 
upon the will of the majority. The 
Puritans never believed that govern- 
ment rest, upon the consent of the 
governed. They never believed that 
the justification of law can be found in 
its popularity. They never believed 
that a majority has the right or the 
power to make law. All that majorities 
can do is to ascertain what are laws. 
When a mob burns a negro at the 
stake, though it has the power to in- 
flict harm, it is a lawless mob. Its 
act is not lawful because it is the act 
of a majority. A law is not just be- 
cause it is aproved by the ma- 
joritv. The majority of the people 
of Spain approved of the Inquisition. 
It was not just. A majority of the peo- 
ple of the United States prior to 1850 
approved of slavery. It was not just. 
The Puritan was always ready to take 
an appeal from the edict of the major- 
ity, as he was always ready to take an 
appeal from the edict of the king. He 
did not believe any more in the divine 
right of bishops while Laud was exer- 
cising authority in England though the 
majority of Englishmen consented, 
than he did after Laud had been put to 
death. He did not believe any the less 
in the affirmation that the majority 
had a right to interfere with the lib- 
erty of conscience, after the majoritv 
had brought Charles the Second back 
to the throne again. The killing of 
Charles the First did not convince him 
and the return of Charles the Second 
did not convert him. It is not the doc- 



trine of Puritan Democracy that ma- 
jorities are divine. As the spirit of 
God breathes in all the people, it is 
more probable that all the people will 
eventually be right than that the king 
or the bishop will be right. It is bet- 
ter to submit to all the people than to 
submit to a king, or a bishop. But there 
is something superior to the law of 
kings, or hierarchies ; that something 
better is the law of God ; and that law 
of God is written in the universal con- 
science. 

A little while ago the question came 
before this country, was the Spanish- 
American war right or wrong? The 
majority said Right. I agree with that 
conclusion. I think it was a noble war. 
But the fact that the majority decided 
so does not make it so. A little later 
the question came before this country 
whether we should retain our authority 
in the Philippine Islands until we had 
educated the Filipinos so that they 
could govern themselves. The major- 
ity said Yes. I agree with that major- 
ity. But the fact that the majority said 
so dogs not make it so. There is al- 
ways a right to appeal from Philip 
drunk to Philip sober. There is al- 
ways a right to appeal from the major- 
ity drunk to tthe roajority sober. I 
was looking over the records of your 
town this morning and I found that at 
one time there were twelve Abolition- 
ists, and some three hundred Demo- 
crats and Whigs. Those twelve Abo- 
lutionists undertook to hold a meeting, 
and the minister of this church, with 
the courage that belonged to the Puri- 
tan preacher then, and I think belongs 
to his descendants now, invited the 
Abolitionists to make their speeches in 
his church. The mob gathered and 
drove the people out of the church. It 
was twelve against three hundred. But 
the twelve have won the day. because 
they were co-operating with the eternal, 
immutable laws of God. The edicts of 
majorities are not always the laws of 
God, any more than are the edicts of 
kings or of hierarchies. 

Righteousness is conformity to God's 
own nature. Righteousness cannot ex- 
ist apart from a moral being, because 
righteousness is this nature of a moral 
being. There cannot be righteous- 
ness if there be not some being 
who is right. There cannot be 
sweetness if there be not some- 
thing which is sweet. There cannot be 



68 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



courage if there be not some one who 
is courageous, nor honesty if there be 
not some one who is upright. Honesty, 
truth, justice, righteousness, courage, 
these are all qualities belonging to 
some personality. They cannot exist 
apart from personality. If they exist 
outside of man they exist in some per- 
sonal God who is more than man. 
Righteousness is not merely an edict 
issued from God. It is God's own na- 
ture. Neither is it an intangible thing, 
an attribute without a subject, or a 
quality without a character to which it 
attaches. Deep in the heart of the 
American people is their faith in God. 
I do not say their faith in my definition 
of God, or in your definition of God, or 
in any man's definition of God ; but in 
God. Pluck out of the heart of the 
American people their faith in some su- 
preme infinite Being, who is infinitely 
wise, just and holy, and you pluck out 
of the heart of the people their faith 
in the very source of justice, of right- 
eousness, of purity and of truth. 

Says Professor Bryce : "Looking in 
imagination at the throngs of eager fig- 
ures streaming through the streets of an 
American cit}^ — suppose that all these 
men ceased to believe that there was any 
power above them, any future before 
them, anything in heaven or earth, but 
what their senses told them of; and 
suppose that their consciousness of in- 
dividual force and responsibility, al- 
ready dwarfed by the overwhelming 
power of the multitude, and the fatalis- 
tic submission it engenders, were fur- 
ther weakened by the feeling that their 
swiftly fleeting life were rounded by a 
perpetual sleep, — would the moral code 
stand unshaken, and with it the rever- 
ence for law, the sense of duty toward 
the community and even toward the 
generations yet to come? Would men 
say, 'Let us eat and drink, for to-mor- 
row we die?' Or would custom and 
sympathy and a perception of the ad- 
vantages which stable government of- 
fers to the citizens as a whole, and 
which orderly, self-restraint oflfers to 
leach one, replace supernatural sanc- 
tions and hold in check the violence of 
masses and the self-indulgent impulses 
of the individual?" 

We have had experience enough al- 
ready in America to furnish an answer 
to that question. We have recently 
seen an experience abroad to furnish an 
answer to it. From the church the mu- 
sic is sounding, and hearts are beating 



with life and joy. All faces are 
wreathed in smiles. The flowers are 
ready to adorn the bride. Joy reigns. 
Suddenly a murderous bomb is ex- 
ploded in the midst of the bridal pro- 
cession. Instantl}^ it is turned into a 
funeral procession. Why? Because 
there are men — typical, representative 
men — who do not believe in law, because 
they do not believe in God; who be- 
lieve only in their own self-will. When 
the apostle of self-will comes down 
from the mountain-top the commands 
which he brings with him are such as 
these : Thou shalt have no God ; thou 
shalt do no worship; thou shalt honor 
no elders; thou shalt kill; thou shalt 
commit adultery ; thou shalt steal ; thou 
shalt bear false witness; thou shalt 
covet thy neighbor's goods. If we could 
conceive that the American people 
should ever become satisfied with a 
religion that is without God; satisfied 
to bow down before their own image 
in humanity worship ; satisfied to know 
law but their own self-will ; not only 
the end of Puritanism, but the end of 
law ,of liberty and of national life, 
will have come. 

I think, therefore, the first message 
of these Puritans would be to us some- 
thing like this : Children of your fore- 
fathers, if you wish to do so, lay aside 
their creeds, their forms of worship, 
their social customs, their political 
methods, but hold fast to these two 
fundamental life-principles : Their faith 
in God and their faith in man ; their 
faith in a personal God who is righteous 
and just, and in men as the children of 
God. who stand in such personal in- 
dividual relation to God that God's life 
is their life, His nature is their nature, 
and the laws of His being are the laws 
of their being. 

If what I have said is true, then the 
law of God does not depend for its 
sacredness upon revelation. The revel- 
ation is not the creation of law. It is 
the disclosure of law. It is the open- 
ing of law to man's intelligence. Be- 
fore the beautiful picture of the As- 
sumption of the Virgin painted Ijv 
Titian, and hanging in one of the 
galleries of Venice, I stand, and a critic 
at my side says, "This is one of the 
most beautiful pictures in the world." 
That does not make it beautiful. It is 
not beautiful because he tells me it is; 
he tells me it is beautiful because it is. 
beautiful. Moses says, "Thou shalt not 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



69 



steal." His saying so does not make it 
wrong to steal. He says so because it 
is wrong to steal. The law precedes 
revelation. The law precedes the dis- 
closure or interpretation of law. Morse 
learns certain of the laws of electricity; 
he utilizes them and sets them to man's 
service ; but he does not create elec- 
tricity nor the laws of electricity. He 
discloses them. The Bible does not cre- 
ate the moral law. The Bible is written 
by men who learned what is the moral 
law and who interpreted it for mankind. 
The way to destroy reverence for the 
Bible is to make a fetish of it. The 
way to promote reverence for the Bi- 
ble is to interpret truly its nature and 
its function. 

The New Testament has very little 
to say bout the social order. Jesus 
Christ lived at a time when the Hebrew 
people had nothing to do with the or- 
ganization of the state. They were the 
subjects of an imperial despotism. They 
could not change a single legal enact- 
ment. They could not change a single 
form of the political organism under 
which they lived. Therefore Jesus said 
very little about political obligations, 
and the Apostles followed Him in that 
respect. On the other hand, the Old 
Tesltament prophets lived at a time 
when the Hebrews were the masters of 
their own destiny, and organized their 
own state. They formed and directed 
their own governments. Therefore, the 
Old Testament is full of explicit di- 
rections as to the laws of the social or- 
der. I shall not' undertake this after- 
noon to go into them at length. But I 
will take an illustration from them with 
which we are all familiar. The con- 
stitution of the Hebrew Commonwealth, 
is the Ten Commandments. What are 
these? Thou shalt reverence God; 
Thou shalt keep one day in seven free 
from the drudgerj^ of toil ; thou shalt 
honor thy parents ; thou shalt not kill ; 
thou shalt not commit adultery; thou 
shalt not bear false witness : thou shalt 
not desire to do these things. These 
are the foundations of the social order. 
Reverence for God, the preservation of 
some time for ministry to the higher 
life, respect for elders, the preservation 
of the rights of person, of property, of 
the family and of reputation, and this 
not from fear of penalty but from a 
sincere desire for the protection of 
human rights; — this is the Hebrew 
Constitution. Some scholars are of the 



opinion that jMoses got his political 
ideals from some earlier code of other 
peoples. They compare his code which 
they find in the first five books of the 
Bible with an earlier code of Egypt and 
think they find analogous provisions in 
both. But we may search the literature 
of the world — Greek, Roman, Phoenic- 
ian, Egy-ptian, Babylonian, Assyrian, 
East Indian, Chinese — and we shall not 
find anywhere such an epitome of the 
laws of the social order as are to be 
found in the Ten Commandments. I 
do not think anything needs to be added 
to them to make a complete code of the 
social order. I am sure that nothing 
can be taken from them without weak- 
ening the social order. 

If the Puritans, whom I imagine as 
gathering in our assembly this after- 
noon, were to look upon this country 
of ours, would they think it was time 
to close the Old Testament and take 
down the Ten Commandments from 
our churches and our schools? Would 
they see a nation universally reverent, 
or one whose greatest national vice is 
egotism and self-conceit? No one, I 
think, not even an American, believes 
that we are too modest. Would they 
then think that we spend too little time 
on the material things of life, or are 
too little energetic and too little enter- 
prising? When they saw men in this 
country willing to denude Mount Wash- 
ington of its garments of forest, and 
spoil the picturesqueness of its natural 
scenery to make money, when they saw 
men willing to despoil that unparalleled 
cataract of Niagara to make money, 
would they think that we cared too lit- 
tle for the material and too much for 
the esthetic? And yet we cannot ignore 
the spiritual witliout coming in time to 
ignore the esthetic. They are akin, one 
to the other. A nation that needs to be 
taught nothing further as to the wor- 
ship of God will not sacrifice its Mount 
Washingtons and is Niagaras. 

Would they then say, that at 
least, there is no need of teach- 
ing these people the second table 
of the law? We talk of our 
criminal classes ; will j-ou tell me where 
to draw the line? That senator who is 
going out of the Senate of the United 
States in order that he may, in all 
probability, take a position in a peni- 
tcntiarj', does he belong to the crim- 
inal classes? The two senators who 
are now under indictment and await- 



70 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



ing trial, do they belong to the 
criminal classes? Does the senator 
who bought his way into the Sen- 
ate by fraud and corruption so palpable 
that he was refused a seat and went 
back to get himself re-elected, does he 
belong to the crimiitnl classes? Do the 
men in high position in our financial 
centers who take funds of the widow 
and the orphan and squander them in 
gambling, men of eminent respectability 
and social standing, do they belong to 
the criminal classes? Do the men that 
take insurance funds and manipulate 
them to secure illegitimate profits for 
themselves, do they belong to the crim- 
inal classes? Surely but one answer 
can be returned. It is not time yet to 
take "Thou shalt not steal" down from 
our churches. It would not be a bad 
plan to put it on our mercantile ex- 
changes and in our factories. 

How then about "Thou shalt not 
kill?" A federal judge in the south last 
year reported the number of mobs that 
had taken place in the United States 
within the year and the figures showed 
that there was a greater disregard in the 
United States for life than in any other 
civilized country on the globe. In the 
greatest battle of modern times, the bat- 
tle of Moukden, ninety thousand men 
were killed, wounded or missing from 
the Russian army when the battle was 
ended. In the year that closed on the 
15th of June, 1904, ninety-four thousand 
men were killed or wounded by Ameri- 
can railways. More men were killed 
and wounded by American railways in 
one year than were killed and wounded 
in the Russian ranks in the greatest 
battle of modern times. I think we 
still need "Thou shalt not kill" preached 
occasionally. 

"Thou shalt not commit adultery." I 
do not know what the figures are now, 
but twenty years ago, in this Puritan 
state of Connecticut, there was one di- 
vorce in every nine marriages, and yet 
you do not keep at the head of the 
procession. In some Western states 
there is one divorce for every four or 
five marriages. Some American humor- 
ist stated the truth in satire when he 
said that "the difference between 
the Mormon and the average American 
was that one drove his wives abreast 
nd the other tandem?" Do we not have 
reason to think that "Thou shalt not 
commit adultery" still should be taught? 
As to bearing false witness : Do you 



remember how great and supposedly 
reputable houses in Chicago have been 
sending out their cans of meat having 
printed on them, "Guaranteed by the 
Government," when the government 
knew nothing whatever as to the con- 
tents of the cans? 

I think, my friends, that these dis- 
embodied Puritans looking on this 
country of ours would recommend a 
renewal of preaching upon those old 
statutes. Thou shalt reverence the 
Lord thy God, Thou shalt keep one day 
holy, Thou shalt honor thy parents. 
Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not 
kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery, 
and Thou shalt not bear false witness. 
If it be true that these are the laws of 
the social order ; if it be true that they 
are not mere statements of la!w by 
Moses, that they are not mere edicts 
issued by God, but that they ars the 
laws of God's own nature, then, if these 
violations of law are allowed to go on, 
what must the end be? It means decay, 
dissolution, the disintegration of the 
community, and a relapse into moral 
barbarism. 

If it be true that the laws of man 
are the nature of man, and the laws of 
the social order are the nature of soci- 
ety, then liberty cannot be exemption 
from law, for society cannot be exempt 
from its own nature. There are three 
relations in which man can stand to law ; 
First, he may disregard it. Second, he 
may obey it. Third he may use it. 

He may disregard it. A man eats 
whatever he likes and gets the dyspep- 
sia. This is disregard of law. He goes 
to the doctor, the doctor tells him what 
he can eat and what he cannot eat. and 
reluctantly, he obeys and takes what is 
prescribed for him. Now he is obeying 
the law of nature. Then he becomes 
ambitious to be an athlete, goes to 
some one conversant with the science of 
physical culture and asks. What shall I 
do to acquire the strongest physical or- 
ganism possible? The physical culturist 
prescribes a course of training, and he 
enters upon it. This is using law. In the 
first instance he disregards the law. In 
the second instance he obeys it. In the 
third instance he uses human knowledge 
of the law for self development. Tlie 
Japanese arc a little race, a little over five 
feet high on the average. Their surgeon- 
general discovered that they were as 
high from the hips up as other people, 
that their smallness of stature was from 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



71 



the hips down, and he conceived the 
notion that this was because thej' fol- 
lowed the custom of sitting on their 
heels instead of sitting in chairs. So he 
put his children under an instructor 
who required that they should sit in 
chairs, and as a result, every one of his 
children is six feet high. Now the Jap- 
anese require all the pupils to sit in 
chairs in the public schools. They are 
not merely obeying the law. They are 
using their knowledge of the law to de- 
velop the human race. That is liberty, 
and nothing less than that is liberty. It 
is not liberty to disregard law. It is 
liberty to make the law an instru- 
ment for spiritual, moral and physical 
development. We all understand and in 
some measure use this liberty in the 
physical realm. The other day some 
cattle gathered under a tree here in 
ISIeriden in a thunder storm. The tree 
was struck by lightning and the cattle 
were killed. Thej^ did not know enough 
of law to shun the dangerous shelter, 
and they paid the penalty for their ig- 
norant disregard of law. We put light- 
ning conductors on our houses to draw 
off the lightning, so that we may sit in 
safety. The bolt passes by. We have 
gotten far enough advanced to know 
how to escape the danger of electricity. 
We obey the law and are safe. Some- 
one discovered that the world itself is 
a great dynamo. Attach this dynamo 
with proper appliances, and we may use 
it to run our trolley cars and light our 
churches. We are now using the law 
and by obeying it we make it our ser- 
vant. 

What would be the message of these 
Puritans to us men and women in the 
twentieth century respecting liberty and 
law? I think it would be something 
like this : Children of the Puritans, 
sons and daughters of the men of 
strong faith and strong courage, we made 
a mistake in saying that only church 
members should vote. We made a mis- 
take in thinking that we could keep pol- 
itics pure by denying the suffrage to 
men who did not believe our creed, and 
did not participate in our worship. But 
you will make a much greater mistake 
if you members of orthodox churches 
in good and regular standing stay away 
from the polls and leave the others to 
carry on the government. I think that 
is what they would say, and I think 
they would be right. 

The Old Testament contains a story* 
which I think explains the secret of cor- 



ruption in American politics. It is a 
short one. "The trees went forth on a 
time to anoint a king over them, and 
they said unto the olive tree, reign over 
us. But the olive tree said unto them, 
should I leave my fatness wherewith by 
me they honor God and man, and go to 
be promoted over the trees? And the 
trees said to the fig tree, come thou, 
and reign over us. But the fig trees 
said unto them, should I forsake my 
sweetness and my good fruit, and go to 
be promoted over the trees? Then said 
the trees unto the vine, come thou 
reign over us. And the vine said, unto 
them, should I leave my wine which 
cheereth God and man, and go to be 
promoted over the trees? Then said all 
the trees unto the vine. Come thou 
and reign over us?'' That is what we 
have been doing. We have been busy 
with our factories ; with our counting- 
rooms and class-rooms ; with our homes 
and our private families, and we have 
said that we wanted nothing to do with 
politics. We have practically and some- 
times formally said that it is bet- 
ter to pay unjust taxes than it is ^o 
spend the time to go out and struggle 
against corruption. We have been in 
the habit of saying, I cannot leave my 
vine, and my olives, and my figs to go 
and rule over the trees, and therefore, 
bramble, come thou and reign over us. 
It is our fault if he has come. It is 
often said that the best men in America 
take no interest in politics. That is not 
true. The worst men in America are 
the men who refuse to take an interest 
in politics. Men of the church, men of 
high station, should take part, and the 
more influential a man is. the more in- 
telligent and the higher his standing, the 
worse citizen he is if he fails to do so. 
If he is a citizen of this nation and 
takes no part towards making it a bet- 
ter, more noble, more worthy nation in 
which to live, the worse citizen he is. 
Look across the ocean. See what those 
men are doing and suffering in Russia 
in order that they may get some share 
in the government, and think then what 
it means. Oh, think what it means for 
us if the powers and- the privileges 
■which our fathers won for us by bloody 
battles in England, and by privation and 
suffering here upon this soil, are not 
handed on to our posteritjr, and if we 
who have taken this scepter lay it down 
and say we are too busy with our figs 

♦Judges 9 : S-15. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




REV. I. NEWTON PHELPS, 
Pastor All Saints' Church. 



REV. A. DE SEMONE. 
Pastor Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church 



^^ 


' 


-«»S(v 
















■ 




REV. N. E. X. SNEIDER, 
Pastor St. Mary's Church. 



REV. A. VAN OPPEN. 
Pastor St. Laurent's Church. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



IZ 



and our vines, and our olives, to take 
an interest in public aflfairs in order 
that we may pass on to our sons what 
our fathers gave to us. 

I wish I had the power to depict the 
faith of the Puritans whom I believe to 
be sharing in this great week. I wish 
I had the power to interpret their faith 
and their conscience. I think at least 
their message would be something like 
this : We have given you the power of 
leadership. Use it. We pointed to the 
book which contains the best epitome of 
the social order. Use it. We have in- 
terpreted to you the foundation and 
source of authority : law written in 
man's nature, and law written in God's 
nature. The seat of law, says Hooker, 
is the bosom of Almighty God. With 
reverence for that God, with faith in 
that law, with an understanding of the 
application of that law to our own times 
and exigencies, and with a realization 
of the power which liberty has given us 
in these latter days to use that law for 
upbuilding of our country and for the 
upbuilding of the world, it is for us, 
spiritual heirs of the Puritans, to build 
up a theocracy in America, founded not 
on church membership, not on clerical- 
ism, but on faith in the immediate pres- 
ence of Almighty God in the hearts and 
consciences and lives of all his children. 



and i\Irs. Ashley, Mrs. R. C. Tongue 
was present. Refreshments were served. 



Rev. Mr. Randall: — Let us stand and 
sing Hymn 1897 : 

"My Country, 'tis of Thee, 
Sweet land of liberty, 
Of Thee I sing." 

Rev. J. C. Wagner of Trinity M. 
E. church, gave the benediction, after 
which Mr. Marble played the postlude, 
Hosanna, by Wachs. 



ALL SAINTS'. 

Rev. A. Sprague Ashley, of the Holy 
Innocents' church, Albany, N. Y., 
preached the Centennial Sunday sermon 
at All Saints' IMemorial church to a 
large audience. Rev. Mr. Ashley was 
the first rector of All Saints' parish, 
and Saturday evening at the parish 
house the Ladies' guild tendered Mr. 
and Mrs. Ashley a reception. The rooms 
were prettily decorated with flags, bunt- 
ing and handsome rugs. Besides Mr. 



ST. PAUL'S. 

x\t St. Paul's Universalist church Rev. 
J. H. Holden preached an interesting 
sermon, taking for his subject, "A Cen- 
tury of Religious Progress." 

K special musical programme was 
rendered by the choir, under the direc- 
tion of Organist G. G. Marble. 



ST. ANDREW'S 

Rector A. T. Randall at St. Andrew's 
church at the 10 130 o'clock services 
preached a very interesting historical 
sermon, describing the organization and 
growth of the Episcopal church in Meri- 
den. The sermon was listened to by a 
very large congregation. 

Special music was rendered by the 
full vested choir. The altar, pulpit and 
lectern were prettil}- decorated with cut 
flowers and ferns. At 7 o'clock in the 
evening the annual Trinity Sunday ser- 
vice for the Sunday school was held in 
the church. 



ST. LAURENT'S. 

At both the services at St. Laurent's 
church Sunday morning Rev. A. van 
Oppen delivered an interesting sermon. 
At the high mass at 10 o'clock a special 
musical programme by an augmented 
choir and orchestra was rendered. 
Clrerubini's Coronation Mass with the 
Credo from IMozart's Twelfth Mass was 
sung. 



ST. MARY'S. 
The Centennial services at St. jMary's 
church was largely attended Sunday 
morning, an excellent musical pro- 
gramme was rendered and an interest- 
ing sermon was preached by Rev. Clem- 
ent Raab, of Butler, N. Y. 



OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL. 

The Centennial Sunday services at 
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church were 
largely attended. A low mass was cele- 
brated at 8 a. m., for the children of the 
school and church and at 10:30 a. m., a 
high mass for the religious and secular 
societies connected with the church. At 
vespers at 7 :30 in the evening a special 



74 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




REV. A. J. LORD, 
Pastor iii-i rongregational Church. 






REV. J._H. HOLDEN, 

Pastor Universal ist Churcli. 





REV. A. T. RANDALL, 
Pastor St. Andrew's Church. 



REV. J. H. GRANT. 
Pastor Center Congregational Church. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



75 



sermon was preached by Gaetana Caruti, 
of Bridgeport. At the high mass there 
was a special programme of music by 
an augmented choir and orchestra. The 
masses were celebrated by Father De 
Simone. 



HOLY ANGELS'. 
Rev. James W. Cunningham cele- 
brated the high mass at the Holy An- 
gels' church. South Meriden, on Cen- 
tennial Sunday. . The services were 



largely attended. The church was hand- 
somely decorated for the occasion. An 
excellent musical programme was ren- 
dered. 



ST. STANISLAUS'. 

At St. Stanislaus' church the Cen- 
tennial Sunday services were attended 
by large congregations. The societies 
of the parish attended the 10:30 o'clock 
mass in a body. 



GERMAN CATHOLIC CONVENTION 



The state convention of the feder- 
ation of German Catholics opened Sun- 
day morning with the following dele- 
gates present : 

Meriden — St. Bonifacius' society — John 
Morenz, John Kopiske, John Gordel, 
William Laskofski, Vincent Wollsch- 
lager, Joseph Affelt, Gustave Hoffman, 
Bernard Bucholz. 

Windhorst society — Martin S. Lemke, 
Andrew Reiske, John Sieg and Freder- 
ick Isbanner. 

New Haven. — St. Bonifacius' society 
— William Musark, Joseph Haegele, Jos- 
eph Droege. William Klaus, George 
Bahr, Adam Liebteig, Jacob Kuehn, 
Michael Etzel, Leo Misbach, Bernhard 
Wirkus, Anton Rorrer, Joseph Der- 
bacher. 

Hartford. — St. Stephen's society — Carl 
Felder, Carl Hess, Albert Frobel. 

New Britainj^ — St. Peter's society^ 
Emil Krause, Engelbert Mueller, Wil- 
liam Smith, John Schilling. 

Bridgeport — St. Joseph's society — 
Anton Wagner, Anton Harb, Franz 
Rumse, Willhelm Koch. 

St. Michael's societj^ — John Schwing, 
Joseph Metzger. 

Waterbury — Holy Family society — 
John F. Schell, Otto A. Harrmann, 
William H. Siefen, John J. Faix. 

Wallingford. — St. Francis' society — 
Albert Hoffman, August Post. 

Naugatuck — Holy Family society — 
William Froehlich. 

Bristol — St. Joseph's society — Eugene 
Blum. 

Derby. — St. Joseph's society — Carl 
Weindrack. 



Torrington. — St. Joseph's societj- — 
Clements Froeliger, Theodore Zander. 

The delegates marched in a body 
froin the State street headquarters to 
St. Mary's church, where Rev. Father 
Schneider, the pastor, celebrated high 
mass. Special music had been arranged 
for the occasion, and the singing of the 
well-drilled choir was particularly fine. 

Rev. Clement Raab, O. F. M., of But- 
ler, N. J., preached the sermon and he 
referred in a special manner to the 
close relationship which should exist 
between the German Catholic societies 
and the church itself, as they are an in- 
tegral part of the parish. St. Boni- 
facius' society of this city came in for 
due praise in honor of its silver jubi- 
lee and the good work accomplished 
during its twenty-five years of exist- 
ence. 

In the afternoon the opening session 
of the convention was held, and most 
of the work consisted in getting out of 
the way the routine business planned 
by the executive committee at the pre- 
liminary meeting Saturday evening. 
State President George Jacob, of New 
Haven, was chosen delegate to the na- 
tional convention which will be held in 
Springfield, O., next September. 

FINE CONCERT GIVEN. 
Company L armory was crowded in 
the evening on the occasion of the con- 
cert given in honor of the delegates, 
and the programme was most elaborate. 
Bishop Tierney was present and his re- 
marks were very cordially received. He 
referred to the gala appearance of the 



76 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



city and hoped that all would enter 
thoroughly into the spirit of the Cen- 
tennial celebration. Mayor T. L. Reilly 
in his address of welcome extended the 
freedom of the city to the delegates and 
the visiting societies to the German 
Catholic state gatherings. Addresses 
which called out much applause were 
made by Rev. Clement Raab, mission- 
ary priest of Butler, N. J., who spoke 
on "The German Catholics of This 
Country," and Professor Sarg, of Eliz- 
abeth, N. J., the state secretary of the 
New Jersey German Catholics, who out- 
lined the work of German Catholic soci- 
eties. 




GEORGE JACOB, President. 

There were bright gems of oratory, 
which sparkled all through the pro- 
gramme, including addresses by Rev. 
A. van Oppen, of St. Laurent's church, 
and first pastor of the German Catho- 
lics; Rev. Father Schneider, of St. 
Mary's; President Jacob, of the state 
convention ; President John Kopiske, of 
St. Bonifacius' society; vocal and instru- 
mental music was interspersed, St. 
Mary's Choral club of forty rendering 
some splendid selections, while solos 
were given by Miss Cecelia Kopiske. 
John Hergert and Charles Faith. Lyons' 



orchestra of seven pieces was an added 
feature. 

THREE JUBILEE GIFTS. 

Not down on the regular programme 
was the presentation of three gifts to 
St. Bonifacius' society in honor of the 
latter's silver jubilee, which came this 
year in connection with the Centennial 
celebration. The first was a silver 
wreath from St. Bonifacius' society, of 
New Haven, the presentation by John 
Haigle. Next came a picture, represent- 
ing St. Bonifacius, fi*om the Windhorst 
society, Martin Lemke making the pres- 
entation, and a silver loving cup was 
presented by St. Peter's society, of New 
Britain, Engelbert Mueller accompany- 
ing the gift with appropriate remarks. 

John Morenz, chairman of the general 
committee, who introduced the different 
speakers at the entertainment, received 
the presents on behalf of St. Bonifacius' 
society with a neat speech in each in- 
stance. Altogether it was one of the 
most enjoyable occasions of the kind 
ever held in connection with the state 
convention of the German Catholics. 

ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 

Monday morning the closing session 
was held in K. of C. hall and everything 
was done with dispatch in order that 
the delegates might have plenty of time 
to prepare for the afternoon exercises. 

The election of officers was the chief 
business, resulting as follows : 

President — George Jacob, New Ha- 
ven. 

Vice president — William Froehlich, 
Naugatuck. 

Secretary — Joseph Dubacher, New Ha- 
ven. 

Treasurer — Carl Felder, Hartford. 

Chaplain — Rev. H. Dahme, Bridge- 
port. 

Professor Frederick Sarg, state secre- 
tary of the German Catholics of New 
Jersey, was made an honorary inember 
of the Connecticut federation. 

It was decided to hold the next state 
convention for 1907 in Naugatuck. 

PARADE AND PICNIC. 

Promptly on time the parade formed 

on State street Monday afternoon, and 

the column moved soon after i o'clock, 

made up in this order : 

Platoon of Police, Sergeant Thayer, 

Officers Kimball. ToUes, Puffer 

and Pintal. 

Meriden Military band. 

State officers and delegates. 



DENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



77 



St. Bonifacius' society, of Meriden. 

Windhorst society, of Meriden. 

New Britain society. 

Hartford society. 

National band, Wallingford. 

St. Francis' society, Wallingford. 

St. Mary's Catholic club, Meriden. 

New Haven and Bristol societies. 

John Lang was the mounted mar- 
shal, and acting for Grand Marshal 
John Lorenz was Joseph Semrau. 

The line of march was from State 
to East Main as far as Willow, coun- 
termarch to Colony as far as Home 
club, countermarch to West J\Iain to 
Linsley avenue, to Hanover, to Ter- 
race Garden, where was started the 
picnic, which was continued into the 
night, with music, dancing, refreshments 
and a jolh' good time for everybody. 

John Lorenz was the grand marshal 
of the parade and his aids were Joseph 
Semrau, Fred Isbaner and Joseph Karl. 
The visiting societies appointed their 
own aids. 

St. Mary's club appointed the follow- 
ing reception committee to entertain 
the delegates : George Schilke, Frank 
Wollschlager, Frank Weigand, Charles 
Schlayer, John A. Missik, Robert 
Spraffke and Theodore Uttenweiler. 

The committee of arrangements for 
the convention and celebration was 
made up of John Morenz, chairman ; 
Martin Lemke, secretary ; Andrew 
Reiske, treasurer; John Goerdel, John 
Kapichke. John Wollschlager. ^enry 
Wollschlager, Jacob Patzke, Ferderick 
Islaner, John C. Sieg, Lorenz Lirot, 
Dennis Buttner, Joseph Semrau, John 
Herger and Joseph Riedinger. 

THE STATE ORGANIZATION. 
It was nineteen years ago that the 
Staats Verband was formed in New 
Haven, composed of societies in New 
Haven. Bridgeport, IMeriden and New 
Britain. The chief object in institut- 
ing the state organization was to form 
new societies of German Catholics in 
other cities and towns of Connecticut. 
The second convention was held in 
Meriden the following year. 1888. and 
for the second time the German Cath- 
olics convened here in 1895. 

ST. BONIFACIUS' SOCIETY. 
Meriden has one of the oldest Ger- 
man Catholic societies in Connecticut. 
It is St. Bonifacius' society, that was 
organized in 1882, and that was in re- 



ality the precurser of the local German 
Catholic parish, known as St. Mary's. 
In 1880 the late Bishop McMahon 
sent Rev. Father van Oppen here to 
look after the French and the German 
Catholics, but the latter were not sat- 
isfied with the bishop's arrangements, 
and so the burden of building St. Lau- 
rent's church rested on the French 
Catholics, though the Germans attended 
mass there for several years. In 1890 
Rev. Ignatius Kost was sent here to 
minister to the German Catholics and 




JUiiA 1'. .\u M\ I'.A/.. (Trand Marshal. 

the following year the present St. 
Mary's church was built. 

From the time of organization in 
1882 St. Bonifacius' society strove hard 
to keep the local German Catholics 
united. There were twenty members 
at first, and of the pioneer band there 
are but five survivors — John Kopiski, 
Martin Sadroschinsky, Jacob Patzke, 
John Dumachofske and August Zeilke, 
The first president was Pius Loeffier, 
who was one of the earliest and most 
respected of the local German residents 
and who passed away a few years ago. 

The society continued to increase in 
numbers year by year, until the mem- 
bership reached 152. It has paid out 



78 



CENTENNIAL OF MKKIDEN. 



a large amount in sick benefits to the 
members and has always been a valu- 
able adjunct in building up St. Mary's 
parish. The present officers are : 

President — John Kopiski . 

Vice president — John Wollschlager. 

Recording secretary — Martin Lemke. 

Financial secretary — John Morenz. 

Treasurer — Andrew Reiske. 
THE WINDHORST. 

Another local organization, enrolled 
in the state body, is the Windhorst so- 



ciety that was instituted about ten years 
ago, with sick benefits as its main ob- 
ject. Many of St. Bonifacius' members 
also belong to the Windhorst society. 
The membership at present is in the 
neighborhood of sixty. It has the fol- 
lowing officers : 

President — Martin Lemke. 

Vice president — John Siek. 

Recording and financial secretary — 
Andrew Reiske. 

Treasurer — Joseph Riedinger. 




TURNER HALL, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



79 



TWENTY-FOURTH TURN BEZIRKS TURNFEST 



The twenty-fourth Turn Bezirks 
Turnfest, which opened on Sunday 
continued through Monday and closed 
on Tuesday. It was held both at 
Turner hall and Schuetzen park and 
in the matter of work, attendance and 
enthusiasm was one of the best and 
most successful that has been held by 
the bezirks in many years. Gray-haired 
men whose grandsons took part in the 
contests, declared that the scenes and 
attendance recalled the good old days 
when the fests were visited by people 
from all the New England states. 

It certainly was a sight that would 
enthuse Turner or any person inter- 
ested in athletics. Early on Sunday, 
about the time of the opening of the 
contests, there were comparatively few 
people other than those who were to 
take part in the several events, at 
Schuetzen park. But as the day grew 
older and the sun sent the power of 
his rays on the backs of men's necks 
hundreds sought the cool shades of the 
park, and, then in ease and comfort, 
watched the athletes at work on the 
sun baked field near the headquarters 
of the Meriden Rifle club, i A large 
number of these men were not alone ; 
persons do not enjoy themselves that 
way. They were accompanied by their 
wives and children and it was a com- 
mon sight to run across family picnics 
in all parts of the grove. . 

The fakir was there. He had the 
scent of the coin in his nostrils and 
the earliest arrival found him in the 
park, ready for business. When he 
packed up late in the afternoon it was 
only because he was driven from the 
grounds with the others by the sudden 
and severe storm. He went away with 
pockets heavy with coin which he had 
exchanged for badges and souvenirs of 
all sorts and sizes. 

Everybody was not courting with 
fickle Dame Fortune. There were other 
things that were of more interest and 
of which they were sure that at least 
they would get their money's worth. 



They were the contests that were con- 
stantly going on on the athletic field. 
And it was a sight well worth travel- 
ing a long distance to see. In the cen- 
ter was placed a horizontal bar. At one 
side was a long leather covered ap- 
paratus that looked not unlike a dried 
porpoise stuck on four wooden legs. 
On the opposite field was another, only 
it had handles on the back. It was 
learned that the first was the "long 
horse" and the porpoise with the 
handles on its back the "side horse." 
A short distance from the side horse 
were the parallel bars. The novice 
knew what they were so he asked no 
questions. 

When all was in readiness the word 
was given, the classes from Meriden. 
Holyoke, New Britain, Hartford, Wa- 
terbury and New Haven summoned and 
the judges, Messrs. Klee. Elizabeth. N. 
J.. Knorr, Lawrence, Mass., Miller, 
Hartford, Stable, Brooklyn, and Weber, 
of Windsor Locks, took their places 
and the contests were opened. From 
that moment there was something do- 
ing on the field until late in the after- 
noon. The work of every individual 
was closely watched and then sorne 
kind of a figure was placed opposite his 
or her name. 

There were two pretty sights in the 
park during the day. Three little girls, 
Jessie and Vivian Stroebel and Flor- 
ence Davis, whose parents reside in 
this citv, were dressed in red, white 
and blue, and they were the objects of 
great admiration. There was another 
group of little misses ranging from 
eight to fourteen years, who came from 
Waterbury. They wore blue shirt 
waists and bloomers and black stock- 
ings. Thev were Freda Miller, Minnie 
Buck, Mary Shober. Margaret Borchar, 
Lizzie Newbert, Mildred Darr, Clara 
Weiss, Earna Cramer, Mark Cramer, 
and Mary Richenback. They accom- 
panied their parents and about 200 oth- 
ers from Waterbury. In the afternoon 
they gave an exhibition on the field that 



8o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



was greeted with loud and repeated ap- 
plause. It was a fine illustration of 
what the German believes in — a thor- 
ough and systematic training of the 
body from childhood. 

In addition to the large body from 
Waterbury, Hartford sent about 150 of 
both se.xes to cheer its team. Three 
hundred came frim New Britain, about 




.«^^^ 
">,',' 






FRED WEBER. 
President Turner Society. 

150 from Holyoke and the same num- 
ber came up from New Haven. 

At the close of the class work and 
social events there were mass exer- 
cises on the field by the combined 
Turners, accompanied by the Meriden 
City band. This was an imposing 
sight, every man working as though 
controlled by an invisible wire. 

Then something happened that was 
not down on the bill and one person 
received the surprise of his life. To 
Herman L. Kraemer, instructor of the 
Meriden Turn Verein was much of the 
success of the feat due. He labored 
hard during the year to bring the fest 
back to its old time prestige and his 
labors were not in vain. He was sum- 
moned to the center of the field facing 
the massed Turners and then Charles 



Heineman in behalf of the Meriden 
Turn Verein presented him a hand- 
some, open faced, split second gold 
watch. To say that he was surprised 
is expressing it mildly ; he could only 
look. Finally he recovered his com- 
posure and in a voice choked with 
emotion expressed his thanks. 

The concert which was given in Turn 
Hall at night after the strenuous work 
at the park had no appreciable effect on 
the Turners. Early Monday morning 
they assembled at the hall on Pratt 
street ready and willing for a long 
hike through the streets in the parade 
to the park and there took part in an- 
other day of turning. A better day for 
that purpose could not be desired. 
Fleecy clouds chased one another and 
a strong west wind tempered the heat 
to a great extent. The rain of the pre- 
vious night had put the streets in good 




R. \V. MUELLER, 
Treasurer Turner Society. 

condition and no dust was kicked up by 
the marchers. 

Promply at the hour scheduled, o 
o'clock, the line of parade was formed 
on Pratt street at Turn hall. It did nor 
take the several organizations long to 
sret into line and Marshal May had no 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



8i 



tedious wait for some delinquen:. He 
gave the signal, there was a prehminary 
muffle of the snare drum, followed by 
an inspiring march step by the Meri- 
den City band and the procession started 
on this route: Pratt to East Main, 
to Willow street, countermarch to Col- 
ony, to Washington, countermarch to 
West Main, to Capitol avenue, to 




HERMAN KRAEMER. 
Instructor Turner Society. 

Schuetzen park. It was a hard grind 
but no one complained. Even the girls 
stepped off as bravely as the men and 
they made a pleasing picture in their 
light summer gowns. 

The streets of the city through which 
the parade passed were crowded and 
the police stationed at intervals and on 
the corners of the principal streets had 
their hands full in preventing the public 
from encroaching on the marchers. All 
along the line the organizations were 
greeted with clapping of hands and 
cheers, especially the women. 

Marshal May and two aides headed 
the parade. He was followed by the 
Meriden City band and then came the 
boys' class of the Meriden Turn Verein. 
Following were the Meriden Verein 
with Instructor Kraemer in charge. 

6 



There were forty men and twelve girls 
and then came fifty of the old fellows 
who at this time of life have not lost 
interest in the verein. Hartford Turn 
Verein had twelve men and twelve wo- 
men in line, Holyoke fifteen men and 
twenty ladies. New Haven twelve men 
and twelve girls, New Britain sixteen 
men and eight women and Waterbury 
ten men and twelve girls. 

Then came the Military band head- 
ing the Meriden Saengerbund of forty 
men, with the Cosmopolitan club of 
thirty men next. The Meriden Rifle 
club had twelve men in line and the 
Lyra Singing society had thirty men 
who were followed by twenty men of 
Meriden lodge, O. D. H. S., whose ban- 
ner was followed by forty men. Teu- 
tonia lodge, I. O. O. P., had sixty men 
in the ranks and they were followed by 




C. J. HEINEMAN. 
Chairman General Committee. 

twenty men of Court Schiller, F. of A., 
and an equal number from the Work- 
ingmen's Sick and Death Benefit society, 
the German Mutual Aid society and the 
Alsace-Lorraine society. 

Immediately after the parade the 
turners resumed the work in the class 
events and this was followed by fenc- 



82 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



ing, wrestling, running and jumping. 
At the close of these events the exhi- 
bition of the varied exercises in the 
ladies' classes began. This apparently 
was what those at the park were wait- 
ing for and as soon as the events were 
called the field was surrounded by a 
throng of people. The ladies were 
warmly applauded for their excellent 
work. 




MAX LANGE, 
Treasurer General Committee. 

This closed the work of the twenty- 
fourth turnfest of the Connecticut Turn 
Bezirks. The judges and the auditing 
committee went into session and at 5 
o'clock the prizes and diplomas were 
awarded. The results were announced 
by Paul Stoeckel, of Hartford, secretary 
of the State Turn Bezirk. They were 
as follows : 

New Britain, first, 83.72 points; Hol- 
yoke, second, 83.63 ; Hartford, third, 
79.83; Waterbury, fourth, 79.76; New 
Haven, fifth, 77.58; Meriden, sixth, 
77.14; Rockville, seventh, 74.10. 

In the individual work on apparatus, 
first class, usual exercises, these awards 
were made: Rudolph Zimmerman New 
Britain, 72.52; G. Nyack, New Britain, 
72.20; W. Kossurg, New Britain, 71.55. 



Second class — Difficult exercises, G. 
Engel, New Britain, 79.90; Albert En- 
gel, Holyoke, 77.75 ; Edward Winger, 
New Britain, 74.95. 

First class — Most difficult exercises, 
Jacob Rutrschauser, Waterbury Vor- 
wartz, 84.10; H. F. Foster, Holyoke, 
76.10; Arthur Kraus, Holyoke, 76. 

In the field sports these announce- 
ments were male by Secretary Stoeckel : 

First class — Charles Nyack, New 
Britain, 13^70; Rudolph ZimmerrrKan/, 
New Britain, 13.70; Walter Kossurg, 
New Britain, 13.30; P. Pietsch, Hart- 
ford, 11.50. 

Second class — James Parker, Holy- 
oke, 18.90; George Engel, New Britain, 
18.90; Christian Volk, New Britain, 
16.70; Albert Bohne, Holyoke, 16.30. 

Third class — E. W. Hertig, Hartford, 




G .GEEHRING, 
Asst. Sec'y General Committee. 

19.60; W. Riley, New Haven, 18.70; E. 
Steinman, Hartford, 17.10. 

Hop, skip and jump — E. Schaefer, 
Rockville, 9.70; H. Bohne, Holyoke, 
9.50. 

Pole vaulting — R. Untendoefel, Holy- 
oke, first and George Engel, New Brit- 
ain, second. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



83 



Running race — E. Schaefer, Rock- 
ville, first and A. Bohne, Holyoke, sec- 
ond. 

For individual work, first class, the 
awards were as follows : 

Rudolph Zimmerman, New Britain, 
64.5 ; Walter Kossurg, New Britain, 
63.25 ; George Nyack, New Britain, 
62.50. 

Second class — George Engel, New 




JOHN BUECHLER, 
Chairman Reception Committee. 

Britain, 70; Albert Engel, Holyoke, 
68.75 ; Harry Heinzmann, New Britain, 
67; H. F. Foster, Holyoke, 66.50. 

The Holyoke turners went down to 
defeat before the New Britain Turn 
Verein in the turnfest which closed 
with a grand ball and concert at night 
in Turner hall. The contest was a close 
one and the losers were only two- 
tenths of 100 points behind the victors. 
One record was broken. That was 
when Emil Schaefer, of Rockville, 
made 9.70 in the broad jump. The pre- 
vious Turner record was 8.10, which 
imtil then had never been equalled. 

COMMITTEE IN CHARGE. 
The General committee, composed of 
Charles J. Heineman, jr., chairman; 



John Buechler, treasurer; Charles 
Linke, first secretary; Gotthold Geehr- 
ing, second secretary; Herman Krae- 
mer, William Sehl, Louis Kraemer, 
Fred Weber and Richard F. Dossin 
worked on the details of the festival for 
many weeks and feel convinced that in 
point of attendance and interest, this 
Turnfest will establish a precedent for 
the German celebration in this section 
of New England. 

HISTORY OF MERIDEN TURN VEREIN. 

The Meriden Turn Verein was 
founded in 1866, with a society of 
twenty-five members. The year before 
several Germans, including Charles 
Weber, sr., Gustav Rebstock and a few 
others, made the first attempt towards 
organizing a society of its kind, but ow- 
ing to lack of encouragement did no't 
succed until a year later. The organ- 
ization took place on February 21, and 




RICHARD F. DOSSIN. 
Chairman Music Committee. 

as the meeting was of a jolly and enthu- 
siastic nature and lasted until after mid- 
night, it was decided to set the date of 
the birth in honor of the first president 
of the United States, hence the anniver- 



84 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



saries of the society are held on Wash- 
ington's birthday. The officers elected 
at this meeting were Theodore F. Gel- 
bart, first speaker; Henry Weber, sr., 
second speaker; Henry Christian, secre- 
tary; Albert Hart, turning master; 
Charles Martin, cashier; and Gustav 
R°bstock, janitor . 




WILLIAM SEllL, 
Chairman Refreshment Committee. 

The first athletic exercises were held 
at Charles Martin's hall on State street, 
where the Turners remained nearly a 
year, and from there removed to Frank- 
lin hall at the corner of East Main 
and Broad streets, to a building which 
was torn down a number of years ago. 
In spite of many trials to which the so- 
ciety was subjected there was consider- 
able ambition shown by its few mem- 
bers, and many of the old German resi- 
dents recall with pleasure the happy 
hours and incidents at the gatherings 
of the society. The festivities were 
often marred by an element which at- 
tempted disturbances whenever an op- 
portunity offered, but soon came to 
grief at the hands of the old German 
pioneers, especially through the es- 
teemed Christian Handel, who made 



himself peace maker at all such emer- 
gencies, and it is due to him to a great 
extent that these disturbances finally 
subsided. 

At the organization meeting a para- 
graph was annexed to the statutes pro- 
viding a sick benefit to its members by 
donating one-fifth of all proceeds from 
entertainments given by the society, 
which, however, was not of a lasting 
nature. Sick benefits amounted to $4 
per week for adult members and $2 re- 
spectively for its pupils. 

Christian Wuterich, a well-known 
citizen, was thte first scholar interested 
in the junior class. During the year 
1866 a dramatic section was also formed 
under the able direction of the late 
August Hirschfeld, who was ever will- 
ing to assist in such affairs when called 




LOUIS KRAEMER, 
General Committee. 



upon to render his services. 

The financial condition of the soci- 
ety at the beginning was not very en- 
couraging, and it had a hard struggle 
to meet its necessary payments, money 
being loaned in order to defray ex- 
penses. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



85 



The minutes of the meetings between 
the years 1867 and 1868 were lost, but 
as near as the older members can as- 
certain, Charles Martin was then 
speaker of the society. 

In 1869, the society had increased to 
seventy-six members. The same year 
the first Connecticut Turnerbund festi- 
val was held in Meriden ,and a guar- 
antee fund was raised ky which each 
member was assessed $5, which re- 
sulted in reducing its membership 
twenty-three names. The financial re- 
sult of the state festival, however, was 
contrary to expectations, and although 
it rained continually a large sum was 
raised. 

On September 7, 1869, the section 
known as the "Turner Frauen Verein" 
was organized, a society which has 
many times aided the society financially 
since its organization. 

The next year William Balzer was 
elected first speaker ; August Hirsch- 
feld, second speaker; Conrad Bauer, 
secretary; Herman Duis, cashier; Her- 
man Schuerer, turnwart, and H. Peters, 
janitor. 

The insurance on the property owned 
by the society was $300. In 1870 the 
society removed from its hall at the 
corner of Broad and Main streets, to 
Hill's block on State street, which build- 
ing was at one time used as a post of- 
fice on Colony street, and is now owned 
by Mr. Woolley, on Center stret, where 
it can still be seen standing in the rear 
of his establishment. 

The semi-annual election of officers 
resulted in Charles Weber being elected 
turnwart ; Bernhard Lahl, secretary ; 
Julius Huebler. cashier, and Gustavus 
Gehrmann, janitor. In the election of 
officers in 1871 H. Peters was elected 
first speaker ; Hugo Reama, second 
speaker; Frank Hugo tutor; Bernhard 
Lahl, secretary; A. Diehl, cashier, and 
G. Gehrman, janitor. 

On September 5, 1870, Herman Krae- 
mer, now one of the foremost members 
and present instructor of the society, 
was accepted from the junior class and 
initiated as a member of the Meriden 
Turn Verein. Mr. Kraemer has been 
indefatigable as an active Turner, and 
has held the position of instructor for 
many years. 

Henry Goebel was elected second 
speaker at the semi-annual election in 
1871 ; Gustav Rebstock, secretary, and 
J. Walz, janitor. The same year Wil- 



liam Balzer, August Hirschfeld and 
Charles Weber, sr., were elected the 
first trustees of the society. The finan- 
cial condition of the society at this time 
amounted to $51. 

June 15, 1871, the soceity again re- 
moved its headquarters, this time to 
Miller's hall on Liberty street — at one 
time a Baptist church — which formally 
stood where the one now stands at the 
corner of Crown and East Main streets. 
The old building was eventually re- 
moved to Veteran street. 

On May 8, 1871, only a few months 
after being accepted from the junior 
section, Herman Kraemer was elected 
master turner of the active class. 

The new selection of officers resulted 
in William Balzer being elected first 
speaker, and N. Permandie, janitor. The 
next 3'ear the first speakership changed 
hands, Henry Goebel being elected 
first speaker; Papa Gehrmann, second 
speaker; Bernhard Lahl, secretary; A. 
Diehl, cashier; George Becker, janitor, 
and Adolph Ruckk, tutor. 

On the first day of January, 1872, 
the society had a membership of forty- 
five, not including twenty junior mem- 
bers and fifteen scholars, and property 
valued at $970, with an indebtedness of 

$613. 

At the semi-annual election of officers 
in 1872, Papa Gehrmann was elected 
first speaker ; Charles Wachtelhausen, 
second speaker; B. Lahl, secretary; 
Herman Schuerer, tutor , and Fred 
Kraemer, drum major . 

On July I, 1872, August Hirschfeld 
and Charles Weber, sr., were made 
honorary members of the society. The 
death of Mrs. Emilie Tittel, one of the 
prominent members of the Frauen Ver- 
ein section, occurred that year. 

The dramatic section of the society 
was reorganized in 1872, Miller hail 
being enlarged by adding a suitable 
stage, which was furnished in the fall 
of that vear and dedicated December 
8 with the drama "Mathilde." At all 
theatrical programmes at that time the 
hall was usually overcrowded to such 
an extent that unless the patrons ar- 
rived considerably before the time set 
for the performance, it was often diffi- 
cult to even gain admittance, a matter, 
which it is said, does not occur to-day. 
The Meriden society has always borne 
the reputation of possessing excellent 
dramatic talent and to some of the 
members it seems strange that in com- 



86 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



parason to former years the dramatic 
productions are so feebly patronized, as 
it has the tendency to discourage the 
participants. At the present time very 
little is offered to the German public 
in the dramatic line, although occasional 
histronic efforts are rewarded with 
financial as well as artistic success. It is 
thought that the cause of this is the 
many associations and sections which 
have been formed, which do not always 
allow the different members to con- 
centrate on a specific programme. 

At the semi-annual election the fol- 
lowing year, 1874, Charles Glock was 
elected first tutor ; Herman Kraemer, 
second tutor; and Frank Rabel, Janitor. 

In August of that year the state 
Turnfest was held at Hemlock grove, 
which was a failure financially, a de- 
ficit of almost $175 being the result. 

Membership in the society July i, 
1874, had dwindled to fifty-eight and 
in the junior class to twenty-six. The 
property on hand at this time was 
$1,700. The German population at the 
same period numbered about 1,200. 

The next year the officers selected 
were Charles Becker, first speaker ; 
Adolph Ruckk, second speaker ; Charles 
Wachtelhausen, secretary; H. Goebel, 
cashier; Frank Rabel, janitor; and Au- 
gust Schletter, tutor. 

December 26, 1874, an extra meeting 
was called, and it was resolved to join 
the North America Turnerbund. On 
April 4, 1875, the junior class was sep- 
arated from the society and given in 
charge of Gustav Rebstock and later 
to Charles Weber as instructors. A de- 
bating club was also formed among the 
members but was of short duration. 

At the semi-annual election of of- 
ficers the same year Adolf Ruckk was 
elected first speaker ; Charles Glock, 
second speaker ; Charles Wachtel- 
hausen, secretary; Charles Weber, jr., 
tutor; H. Goebel, cashier; and G. Reb- 
stock, janitor. 

In 1876 the society donated $50 
towards representation at the Centen- 
nial exposition in Philadelphia, and also 
the net receipts of an entertainment for 
the benefit of the German American 
Teacher seminary. 

The officers selected in 1876 were 
Charles Glock, first speaker; Louis 
Kraeber, second speaker ; Theodore 
Hax, secretary; Fred Kraemer, first 
tutor; H. Goebel, cashier; and G. Reb- 
stock, janitor. At the semi-annual 



election the same year Michael Oefinger 
was elected first speaker; Will Kerner, 
first tutor; and Louis Kroeber, stage 
director. 

The membership in June of that pe- 
riod was fifty-six, with a junior class 
of seven. There were also twenty 
scholars. 

The next year Michael Oefinger was 
elected first speaker ; Herman Kraemer, 
second speaker; William Kermer, tutor; 
Richard Mueller, secretary; H. Goe- 
bel, cashier; and F. Rabel, janitor. 

On July I, 1876, the rent of the hall 
was reduced from $5.20 to $4. The 
amount of property at this time was 
valued at $1,100. 

In 1877 a band was organized. The 
semi-annual election the same year re- 
sulted in Henry Goebel being elected 
first speaker; Henry Meyer, cashier; 
and Richard Kroeber, stage director. 

June 18, 1877, it was suggested that 
the Turn Verein should build a hall of 
its own, and a committee consisting of 
August Hirschfeld, Charles Glock, Ja- 
cob Messner, Michael Oefinger and 
Christopher Brennecke were appointed 
to elaborate plans. August Hirschfeld 
drew the plans and specifications, 
amounting to $7,500 for the building. 

Preparations were made to commence 
building in the spring, and a building 
lot, owned by Chris Brennecke, was 
partly secured but was reciprocated in 
the February of that year. The next 
month the death of First Speaker Henry 
Goebel occurred. 

On April 3, 1878, the singing section, 
known as the Turner Liedertafel, was 
brought into existence under the able 
direction of August Hirschfeld. This 
was an important factor in the history 
of the society, as this section has played 
a prominent part in sustaining the soci- 
ety since its existence. The members 
feel that too much praise cannot be 
given to its director, August Hirsch- 
feld, who sacrificed himself to make 
the new section a success without being 
compensated for his trouble. A num- 
ber of years ago the Liedertafel pro- 
duced an operetta entitled "Princess of 
the Cannibals," under the musical direc- 
tion of Mr. Verheige and Fred Kraemer 
as stage manager. The performance 
was a decided success and enabled the 
Liedertafel to realize a big profit. 

In the election of 1878 Charles Glock 
succeeded Michael Oefinger as first 
speaker of the society; Theodore Hax 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX, 



87 



was elected second speaker; Herman 
Kraemer, tutor; Fred Mueller, secre- 
tary; Henry Meyer, cashier, and 
Charles Tartter, janitor. The German 
school which was being erected at that 
time, was reorganized by the Turner 
society, of which the late German- 
American school was an offspring. 

March 16, 1879, a building was pur- 
chased from Mr. Camp, situated on 
State street, opposite the freight depot. 
It was resolved that the new hall was 
not to e.xceed the sum of $1,000. The 
contract for the building was awarded 
to M. F. Fitzgerald for $1,600, and was 
finished and dedicated three months 
later, and the society incorporated the 
following year under the name of "Mer- 
iden Turn Verein." Several years later 
the hall on State street was enlarged 
by some important additions . 

In 1886 the Bezirks Turnfest was 
held in Meriden, but was marred some- 
what by the continued rain during the 
festival. 

The political agitation of the work- 
ing class was a marked feature in the 
Turn Verein at the time, and as its 
principles are also based upon support- 
ing labor and industry, it naturally re- 
sulted at times in creating arguments 
and discussions among its members. 

The society had at this time accumu- 
lated a large number of books, most of 
which had been donated by members. 

In 1890 the society resolved to again 
change its quarters, and appointed a 
committee to look for a suitable lot. 
The committee, after examining several 
available situations purchased the prop- 
erty on Pratt street, opposite its present 
hall, where the engine house now 
stands. The price paid for the property 
was $5,000. An exchange was then 
made for the old police station and en- 
gine house, the latter being remodelled 
into a commodious hall. 

Fred Weber, who was then first 
speaker of the society, was mostly in- 
strumental in having the work of the 
new hall enhanced, and his untiring ef- 



forts arc worthy of praise for the task 
he successfully completed. The build- 
ing was finished and dedicated Novem- 
ber 7, 1894, the entire German popula- 
tion of Meriden and vicinity taking an 
active part in the exercises. 

A disastrous fire badly damaged the 
hall a year ago but the building was 
rapidly repaired. The society at the 
present time is in a flourishing condi- 
tion, having a membership of over 200. 

The officers who were elected at the 
last meeting of the society are, Fred 
Weber, president; John Miller, vice 
president; R. Thomas, secretary; R. W. 
Mueller, treasurer; Charles Kurz, col- 
lector, and Lucas Helcher, vice secre- 
tary. The reception committee for 
the festival Centennial week consisted 
of John Buechler, chairman; Julius 
Kuntze, Richard W. Mueller, Medrick 
Marchand and Henry Schrader. 

The Decoration committee was com- 
posed of John Buechler, chairman; An- 
drew Oefinger, Gustav Hickish, and 
Adolph Edler. 

The Press committee consisted of 
Richard Dossin, chairman ; Herman 
Kraemer, and Charles Heineman. 

The Park committee was composed of 
Herman Kraemer, chairman ; Hugo 
Thomas, Oscar Fletcher, Richard Lange 
and William Russell. 

The committee on quarters consisted 
of Louis Kraemer, chairman ; Max 
Lange, Gotthold Gehring, and Charles 
Heineman. 

The Entertainment committee was 
composed of Edward Dueniber, chair- 
man ; Lucas Helcher, and Gustav Hick- 
ish. 

The Music committee consisted of 
Richard F. Dossin, chairman; John 
Miller and Charles Linke. 

The Refreshment committee was com- 
posed of William Sehl, chairman; 
George Miller, and Charles Hoesch. 

The Committee on Badges consisted 
of Richard F. Dossin, chairman: Her- 
man Kraemer, and Charles Heineman. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Monday, July 11 — Opening Day 



The weatherman took pity on the cel- 
ebrants and made the day an ideal one. 
Thousands of former Alcridenites and 
thousands of visitors arriving every 
hour, coming to a city most beautifully 
decorated, with welcoming arms extend- 
ing in all directions, made the opening 
of the secular part of the Centennial 
celebration an event not only long to be 
remembered, but probably unsurpassed 
by any that ever took place in the state. 
The muggy weather with the inter- 
mittent rains of Saturda y night and 
Sunday gave place to sunshine and the 
transformation was complete. 

The midway showmen, with their as- 
sistants and their picturesque, circus- 
like baggage, had already begun to erect 
their tents. The fakirs appeared from 
out of nowhere, and soon held all the 
street corners, crying their wares. Some 
who had not decorated put forth the 
colors on their business houses and 
homes, which soon completed the 
harmony of coloring that was one of the 
chief features of the week. 

The parades began to form early in 
the morning, the conventions transacted 
important business, while the crowds 
that thronged the streets grew larger 
and larger, every face wearing an ex- 
pectant smile of enthusiastic interest in 
the great event ; men, women and chil- 
dren all bravely decked out in their best, 
and for the most part wearing flags, 
flowers or some emblem, as a token of 
the occasion they were helping to com- 
memorate. 

The diflferent events of course at- 
tracted the people, but thousands of 
them seemed content to walk up and 
down the streets, never tiring of the 
noise of the bands, the cries of the 
hawkers and the whole attendant excite- 
ment and enthusiasm of the celebration. 

EXPOSITION OPENING. 
The Manufacturers' and Varied Arts' 
exposition opened at Hanover park in 
the morning, and this feature of the 



Centennial was very popular and well 
patronized. 

The pure food exhibit was in the Ca- 
sino and the industrial section was lo- 
cated in the merry-go-round building. 
A covered passage way connected the 
buildings. The entire floor space in the 
two buildings was taken up by nearly 
forty manufacturers and merchants. 

In the Casino the Aeolian company 
had a section in the center and showed 
several of their instruments. This was 
one of the largest displays in the ex- 
position. The Meriden Gas Light com- 
pany and the Frank Goetz Bakery also 
had prominent displays there. The Mer- 
iden Grain and Feed company had two 
prettily arranged sections in the Casino, 
as had the Egg-0-See company. 

Across in the Industrial section there 
were several interesting exhibits. The 
Jennings & Grifhn company, of Yales- 
ville, had a large display in the center 
section. This company showed the man- 
ufacture of augur bits and had a min- 
iature factory in operation. The C. F. 
Monroe company had a beautiful ex- 
hibit. Their famous cut glass articles 
made a verj- pretty showing. This com- 
pany also had a plant in operation show- 
ing the manufacture of cut glass. 

The A. J. Hall company showed their 
hand-painted china ware which was a 
very neat display. The Meriden Cut- 
lery company, the Curtis-Way company. 
The Journal Publishing company and 
the H. S. Shiner company had sections 
in this part of the exhibit. 

Besides the above-mentioned the fol- 
lowing had floor space in the show : 

Wilcox & White company. New Eng- 
land Supply company, W. A. Hartung, 
C. A. Haberling, H. Harcourt, H. C. 
Bibeau, J. V. Campbell. H. E. Bush- 
nell. Loft and Dray, the Fleischman 
company, Moxie Nerve Food company, 
H. W. Booth, the Modox company, Satin 
Gloss Polish company, E. A. Baudreau, 
Apothecaries' Hall company. Schules 
Grape Wine company, Allen Bros., Rus- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



89 





GEN. J. S. STOKES, 
Grand Marshal Civic Parade. 



CAPT. G. E. PROUDMAN, 
Aide, Civic Parade. 




C. B. BOWEN, 
Aide, Civic Parade. 



m- 






s] 



JULIUS AUGUR, 
Aide, Civic Parade. 



90 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



sell-Miller Milling, company, Miner, 
Read & Garrett, E. H. Roy, the H. O. 
company. National Spring Bed com- 
pany. 

A feature of the exhibit was the daily 
concerts by Rounds' Ladies' Orchestra 
and Concert company. The company 
played from 2 to 8 p. m. 

The entire exposition reflected great 
credit on Messrs. Greene and Rowe, 
who had charge of the aflfair from the 
start. 

The committee in cliarge was com- 
posed of the following Meriden men : 

Food and Industrial Exhibit — H. C. 
Bibeau, chairman ; Fred Fenner, C. F. 
Monroe, B. W. Collins, C. P. Bradley, 
James H. White, W. H. Lyon, George 
H. Wilcox, D. L. Bishop, H. E. Bush- 
nell, M. W. Booth. 

Manufacturers' Exhibit — C. F. Mon- 
roe, chairman ; C. F. Rockwell, secre- 
tary; William Zerfass. C. P. Bradley, C. 
W. King and George H. Wilcox. 

THE CIVIC PARADE. 

A stroke of the fire bells at 2 o'clock 
in the afternoon started the big civic 
and industrial parade, one of the star 
features of the Centennial, from the 
City park on its march of four miles, 
seen and admired by thousands of eyes. 

Bands played, flags floated, horses 
pranced and the multitudes applauded. 
It was the biggest, grandest, longest 
procession Meriden has had in many a 
day. It was a credit to the Centennial. 

It was really two parades in one. 
The civic, a splendid line that held one's 
closest attention, came first and was led 
by a calvacade of horsemen, all mounted 
on spirited, showy steeds, and the indus- 
trial end of it, representing the varied 
business interests of the municipality, 
dressed in their finest colors and pre- 
pared as only Meriden merchants can, 
brought up in the rear. People who 
saw the procession, and it doesn't seem 
as if there were many who didn't, agreed 
that it was the real thing. 

At 1 :30 the paraders began assem- 
bling at the City park, forming on Camp 
streeet and Bunker avenue. The in- 
dustrial marchers were formed on North 
Broad street. The procession was to 
have been in motion at i :30, but it was 
2 o'clock before the fire bells sounded 
the start. 

The horsemen and horsewomen, too, 
made a fine beginning for the monster 



procession, all riding like veterans. Af- 
ter them came the marshal and his aides 
and they led the long line down Center 
to Pratt, to Broad, to East Main, to 
West Main, to North First, counter- 
march to West Main, to Colony, to Wil- 
cox avenue, countermarch on Colony, to 
Camp, to Cejiter and — well, here's 
where each parader broke ranks, sighed 
wearily but contentedly and remarked 
to his neighbor. "That parade was some- 
thing like, eh?" 

First should be mentioned the mar- 
shal and his aides. They did nobly. 
Next came the men who tramped along, 
doing more work than they would oth- 
erwise in a week, for the good of their 
town and the Centennial. More power 
to them And the music ! Such music ! 
Nothing like it ever heard in Meriden 
in a bunch. The horses? Say, nobody 
ever imagined there were so many good 
ones in the whole town. They deserve 
praise. 

Now for the floats and the "indus- 
trialers." The one that came first in 
the line and attracted favorable com- 
ment all along the streets was the much 
talked of one of Division 15, L. A., A. 
O. H. A bevy of pretty girls seated 
comfortably on high perches was a prin- 
cipal attraction to be sure. Six gray 
horses drew the wagon, which was 
draped with the colors of the order. 
The young women on the float were 
tastefully gowned in green and white 
and waved energetically flags of red, 
white and blue. The motto, "Unity, 
Friendship and Charity," was in a con- 
spicuous place. 

This float was similar to the one that 
captured first prize in Hartford two 
years ago ,and the banner that was won 
at that time was given prominence. 

The Meriden lodge of Elks had a very 
creditable float in the procession. Drawn 
by six horses, a wagon was draped in 
the B. P. O. E. colors, purple and white, 
in which were several young people in 
costume. On the highest elevation was 
a girl draped with American flags to rep- 
resent the Goddess of Liberty and be- 
side her stood cavaliers in old colonial 
dress. On the sides of the wagon were 
the Elks' banners. 

The float of Meriden camp, 7,711, 
Modern Woodmen of America, was 
most unique. It represented, and did it 
well, too, a woodmen's camp, with the 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



91 




CAPT. JOSEPH DE CANTILLON, 
Aide, Civic Parade. 





I^^^^I^H 


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B 




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^A 


1 







COL. S. E. CROCKER, 
Commanding P. O. S. of A. 



CARL DIEL, 
Commanding D. O. H. 




JEROME BAILEY, 
'ikSto Assisant Chief Fire Department. 



92 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



husky campers sitting about a fire, at 
the entrance to a neatly constructed log 
cabin. It well merited the applause. 

St. Jean de Baptiste society showed 
a pretty float and it received many a 
hand clap along the line. It was a 
large four-horse covered wagon decked 
with evergreen and bunting, and inside 
rode a little miss clad in sheepskin and 
standing beside a sheep. 




A. MOZZI, 
Com. Christopher Columbus Society. 

The officers of the East Side Social 
club rode in a carriage trimmed gaily 
with national colors, as did the officers 
of several other organizations. The 
Y. M. T. A. B. society was out in force, 
and the sturdy members made a credi- 
table appearance for their society. 

The Elks carried a mammoth Ameri- 
can flag outstretched. 

The following were in the civic pa- 
rade, or rather as many of them as it 
was possible to note as the pageant 
passed along: 

Mounted cavalcade under command of 

George L. Clark. 

Marshal, Joseph S. Stokes. 



Aides, Captain C. B. Bowen, Captain 
Joseph DeCantillon, Captain George E. 
Proudman, John H. McMahon, Julius 
Augur, George R. Hubbard and Albert 
A. May. 

Police Escort 

Hatch's band, of Hartford. 

Myrtle Lodge, 4, K. of P., Chancellor 

John Kay commanding, with 

Visitors. 

Meriden City band. 

Ancient Order of Hibernians and invited 

guests. 
Division i, John H. McMahon, com- 
manding. 
Djvision 2, Robert Lodge commanding. 
Division 3, Dr. O .D. Flanagan, com- 
manding. 
Footguard's band, of Hartford. 




W. C. LUCAS, 
Commanding Fire Department. 

T. A. B. society, John F. Renders, com- 
iiianding. 
Band. 
Meriden Lodge, B. P. O. E., and guests, 
E. L. K., Daniel Donovan, command- 
ing, with Middletown Elks accompa- 
nied bv American band of Waterbury. 
Band. 



CENTENNIAL Op MERIDEN. 



93 



Silver City Council, K. of C, G. H., 
Heiir}' Cashen commnading. 

Band. 
Meriden Aerie of Eagles. 
East Side Social club. 
Band. 
Silver City lodge, I. O. A. B., L. Fried- 
man, commanding. 




St. Stanislaus Church society. 

Fifty Men. 

Michael Ferren, president. 

White Eagle society. 

I20 Men. 

Waltey Malywajek, president. 

St. Stanislaus Branch, No. 655. 

Eighty-five Men. 

Barnslaw Markoweski, president. 

Society Poluskie Drum Corps. 

Twenty Men. 

Leader Szilewa. 

Society Cokol Pol. 

Forty Men. 

Stanislaw Truanjecki, president. 

Society Peter and Paul, Branch 491, 

Twenty-four Men. 

Joseph Pichnareik, president. 



Armour's Champion Team of Horses 

with attendants. 

Colt's Band of Hartford. 



J .F. FENDERS, 
Commanding Y. M. T. A. B. Society. 

Meriden lodge, 276, D. O. H., Carl Diel, 

commanding. 

Meriden Rifle club. 

Chrisotphcr Columbus society, Pres. 

Alfred Mozzi, commanding. 

Victor Immanuel, 3, society. 

Meriden Camp. 

Dolbec camp. 

St. Jean Baptiste society, Wilbrod 

L'Heureaux, commanding. 

St. Laurent's T. A. B. society. 

Italian Protective society, E. Tomas- 

etti, marshal. 

UNITED POLISH SOCIETIES. 

Kosciusko society band. 

Twenty Men. 

John Klotc, leader. 

Society Recearcz, M. B. C. Z., 

Sixty Men, 

Capt. John Zydkiewcizy, commanding. 




J. H McMAHON, 
Commanding Div i, A. O. H. 

Veteran Firemen's association and in- 
vited guests. 
Veteran companies of Hartford, with 

band. 

New London Veterans and the Active 

Hook and Ladder company of 

New London, with band. 



94 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Philharmonic band of New Britain. 
Eagle Hose company of Ansonia, 
Seventy-five Men. 
Band. 
Meriden Fire Department, Chief W. C. 
Lucas commanding, and Assist- 
ant Chief Jerome Bailey. 
Fire companies, regular department and 
volunteers, with apparatus. 




O. D. FLANAGAN, 
Commanding Div. 3, A. O. H. 

THOSE WHO MADE FINE EXHIBITION. 

The industrial parade was fine, con- 
sidering a number of circumstances, and 
those merchants who turned out did 
themselves proud. The Armour Beef 
company had its celebrated six horse 
champion, blue ribbon team in line. It 
was greeted with "Ah's!" and "Oh's!" 
from the horsemen on all the streets. 

David Higgins, the milk dealer, had 
five gaily-colored wagons in line as clean 
and spick and span as the most fastid- 
ious would wish. 

A. Greenbacker & Son, the florists, 
displayed a floral wagon. The vehicle 
contained beautiful potted plants and 
was completely hidden by decorations, 
as was the horse's harness. It was a 
fine piece of work. 



Lacourciere & Co., the painters and 
decorators, were out in force. All their 
men rode in two decorated wagons and 
dressed in white suits. They looked 
great. 

One of the prettiest rigs in line was 
driven by Walter Shaw, proprietor of 
the Shaw's horse sales stables. He had 
a neat pair of steppers hooked to a fine 
vehicle that was prettily trimmed with 
flowers. 

R. W. Barrows, the florist, drove a 
very pretty pair of ponies hitched to a 
small glass covered wagon that was 
filled with choice plants. 

The Journal Publishing company 
turned a cannon on the multitudes. For- 
tunately, it was only a paper gun, 
though. This company's display was in 




D .J. DONOVAN, 

Commanding Elks. 

the shape of an army field piece, drawn 
by si.x horses, properly mounted by boys 
of Compny I, C. N. G. The gun, though 
it was made of paper, weighed about 
1,000 pounds, and was mounted on a 
truck, just the same as they are in the 
United States army. It was a clever 
and ingenious thing, the folks along the 
streets said. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



95 



Julius Augur, the marketman, had two 
of his wagons trimmed prettily, in line. 

Peter Levin, the Veteran street mar- 
ketman, showed two calves and drove a 
fine team of black horses. 

Little, Somers & Hyatt had a wagon 
full of pretty girls and made a hit uj 
the way they advertised their painting 
and decorating business. 

Mrs. G. H. Flynn, of Center street, 
gave a lot of nice looking, well dressed 
youngsters a ride and labelled them 
"Future painters." 

The Meriden Grain & Feed company 
had three well dressed wagons in line 
and attracted favorable attention. 

The Meriden druggists had a wagon 
in the parade with a huge mortar and 
pestle, gilded nicely, upon it, "1806 and 
1906" shown out prominently. 

Other exhibitors were : Soapine, Dr. 
Smith's veterinary medicines, G. 
Schlaak, milk; G. F. Knell, grocer; S. 
Kennedy, baker : H. Scholefield, milk ; 
Ozone soap ; Gustav Marx, milk ; J. 
Greenbacker, milk; Boehle & Dresch- 
ler, bakers; E. E. Brainard, baker; F. 
L. Bradbury, baker; Fleischmann Yeast 
company; Baileys laundry. 

VETERAN VOLUNTEERS. 

The Meriden Veteran Volunteer Fire- 
men's association had as their guests 
the Hartford Veteran Firemen's associa- 
tion and the Rescue Fire company of 
Stony Creek, the Hartford company, of 
which ex-Chief Henry J. Eaton is pres- 
ident, brought down their engine which 
is the oldest working engine in this 
country, being built in 1792, for the city 
of Brooklyn, N. Y., and after thirty 
years service in that city was sold to the 
town of Essex, Conn., and thirty years 
ago was purchased by a member of the 
Hartford association for $50. 

Of the 130 members belonging to the 
Hartford association 109 came to Mer- 
iden on the 8 :56 train, accompanied by 
their ladies and were at once taken to 
Company I armory, where refreshments 
were served. 

The Stony Creek company of thirty 
members came in on the 10:30 train ac- 
companied by the Cornet band of twelve 
pieces and a large delegation of their 
friends. They were all escorted to the 
armory and at 11 130 o'clock dinner was 
served the visitors by the local vets, who 
were ably assisted by Mrs. John D. 



Roberts, Mrs. George R. Tryon and 
Mrs. James Pearce, and the following 
young ladies: Misses Elizabeth Reb- 
stock, Jessie Milroy, Meryl Babbitt, Lil- 
lian Howe, May Roberts, Grace Hub- 
bard, Beatrice Spink, Elmore Sutter- 
land, Mildred Miller and Estella Spink. 
At the conclusion of the collation the 
members of the visiting organization 
with the Meriden association, formed in 
front of Palace block, and marched to 
the City park and the fine appearance 
made by the visiting and local Vets was 
highly commented on. Foreman E. F. 




JOHN KAY. 
Commanding Knights of Pythias. 

McKiernan and Secretary Thomas Stan- 
ard were in charge of the Capitol city 
Vets, and Foreman George G. Bishop 
and Assistant Foreman Harry Allis and 
John Dower had charge of the Stony 
Creek company. 

President Eaton walked at the head 
of the Hartford association. After the 
parade the veterans returned to the ar- 
mory where lunch was served and the 
out "of towai guests were entertained in 
royal style. 

One of the most enjoyable incidents 



y6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



of the morning was the concert given 
by Colt's famous band of Hartford, here 
with the Veteran Firemen's association 
of that city as the guests of the Meri- 
den Veteran Firemen's association. 

At II o'clock the band gave a num- 
ber of selections in front of Palace block, 
where the local veterans had estab- 
lished their headquarters and a great 



crowd listened to the fine music. 

Several of the pieces played were 
varied by singing by the members of the 
band and the vocal feature was a most 
pleasing innovation. 

Scott Snow, the accomplished leader, 
and his men entered fully into the spirit 
of the day and the band was never heard 
here to better advantage. 



STATE BANKERS' CONVENTION 



The annual convention of the Con- 
necticut Bankers' association was one of 
the notable gatherings of the Centennial. 

The Home club was the headquarters 
of the bankers and the hospitality of 
the club was thoroughly enjoyed. 

The business session was held shortly 
after li o'clock, at which ex-Governor 
Chamberlain, president of the associa- 
tion, presided and made a brief speech 
of welcome. The governor was in his 
best vein and the welcome was most cor- 
dial and appropriate. 

The reports of the secretary and treas- 
urer were read and gave interetsing facts 
about the year's work of the association. 

REPORT OF SECRETARY. 

Secretary C. E. Hoyt, of South Nor- 
walk, presented the following report : 

"During the year the officers and ex- 
ecutive committee have held two meet- 
ings, one at Meriden and one at Hart- 
ford, at which meetings special attention 
was given to the preparation of a gen- 
eral banking bill to be presented at this 
session by the executive committee. 

"By the treasurer's report for 1905 
there were seventy-eight banks, bankers 
and trust companies enrolled as mem- 
bers of the association ; there has been 
added to the roll during the year eight 
banks, seven trust companies and three 
private banking houses, making a gain 
in membership of eighteen and a total 
membership of ninety-six. 

"There remains in the state only one 
trust company, three state banks and 
fifteen national banks that are not mem- 
bers of the association. This is a con- 
dition worthy of note as it speaks well 



for the harmony existing between the 
various banking institutions doing bus- 
iness in the state and is in marked con- 
trast to the friction between them in 
states where all are not compelled to 
carry the same reserve and not under 
the supervision of the bank commis- 
sioners. 

"I desire to call the attention of the 
association to the effort put forth by 
other states to secure representation on 
the executive council of the American 
Bankers association ; the New England 
states have not a representative in the 
council, and if proper attention was giv- 
en to the matter it might result in gain- 
ing the honor for Connecticut." 

treasurer's REPORT. 

The report of the treasurer, Charles 
C. Barlow, of New Haven, showed that 
during the year the sum of $940 had 
been received from ninety-four members 
which with the balance on hand at the 
beginning of the year, $2,023.77, made 
the total on hand $2,963.77. 

The disbursements for the year were 
$542.18, leaving a balance on hand of 

$2.43 1 -59- 

The officers of the association who 
served during the year were : 

President Hon. Abiram Chamberlain, 
Meriden ; vice president, Alfred Spen- 
cer, Jr., Hartford; secretary, Charles E. 
Hoyt, South Norwalk; treasurer, 
Charles C. Barlow, New Haven; execu- 
tive committee, William E. Atwood, New 
Britain, Frank B. Furlong, Hartford, 
James H. Welles, Norwich, Isaac W. 
Brooks, Torrington, Charles H. Nettle- 
ton, Derby. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



97 



The following officers were elected for 
the coming year: 

President — Alfred Spencer, Jr., Hart- 
ford. 

Vice-president — W. E. Atwood, New 
Britain. 

Treasurer — Floyd Curtis, Meriden. 

Secretary — C. E. Hoyt, South Nor- 
walk. 





N. G. OSBORN. 



Executive committee — F. M. Benham, 
Bridgeport ; C. C. Barlow, New Haven ; 
H. N. Whipple, New Haven; L. N. Van 
Buren, Waterbury; R. C. Markham, 
Middletown. 

CARRIAGE DRIVE. 

Following the business session a lunch- 
eon was served under the direction of 
Steward Maynard of the Home club 
and then the members of the associa- 
tion were taken in carriages for a drive 
through the city to see the Centennial 
sights. They also visited the parks and 
were delighted with what they saw, es- 
pecially at Hubbard park. 

Returning from the drive- they sat 
down to an elaborate banquet in the big 
"ball room of the club which was hand- 
somely decorated. The guest of honor 
at this function was ex-Attorney Gen- 
eral John W. Griggs of New Jersey, 



who arrived on the 9 o'clock train from 
New York in company with Clarence 
E. Breckenridge, formerly of this city 
and a director of the International Sil- 
ver company. Messrs. Griggs and 
Breckenridge were among those who 
greatly enjoyed the carriage drive 
through the parks. 

Attorney General Griggs gave a short 
informal talk to the bankers. Colonel 
N. G. Osborn of New Haven was also 
an honored guest and a most entertain- 
ing speaker. There are few better after 
dinner speakers than Colonel Osborn and 
he was listened to with great enjoyment 
by the bankers. He and General Griggs 
received hearty applause for their 
speeches. 




W. E. ATT WOOD, 

BANKERS PRESENT. 

Among the bankers present at the ban- 
quet were the following: 

W. E. Atwood, New Britain; L. Hoyt 
Pease, New Britain; H. B. Boardman. 
New Britain; William H. Fields and 
F. C. Burroughs, New Haven; Fred 
Strong, New Haven; Charles S. Leete 
and F W. Chatterton, New Haven; H. 
C Warner and H. N. Whipple. New 



98 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Haven ; J. T. Manson and C. C. Barlow, 
New Haven; W. B. Curtis and D. B. 
Lyman, New Haven ; C. E. Curtis and 
M. Loyd, New Haven ; H. P. Price, Nor- 
walk; E. O. Keeler, Norwalk; D. H. 




Miller, Norwalk; L. C. Green, Norwalk; 
Charles W. Gale, Norwich ; C. L. Hop- 
kins, Norwich; William H. Reeves, New 
London ; S. E. Hopkins and A. H. Day- 



ton, Naugatuck; S .S .Green, New Mil- 
ford; Andrew R. Sloper and Ed. N. 
Stanley, New Britain; F. Gildersleeve 
and J. H. Sage, of Portland; Isaac W. 
Brooks, Torrington; J. H. Seaton, Tor- 
rington; Willis Gowdy, Thompsonville. 

C. S. Boies, Seymour; R. H. Golden 
and C E. Hoyt, South Norwalk; F. G. 
Sanford, Stafford Springs; R. G. Dem- 
arest, Southport ; E. H. Mathewson and 
J. M. Layton, South Norwalk; C. G. 
Watkins and F. G. Vibberts, South Man- 
chester; Guilford Smith and H. C. La- 
throp, Willimantis; B. G. Bryan, Water- 
burv; F. D. Hallett, Winsted ; C. H. Tib- 
bits, Wallingford ; Robert W. Hill, Wa- 
terbury; F. M. Benham, Bridgeport; H. 
B. Terrell, Bridgeport; H. S. Shelton, 
Bridgeport; L B. Prindle, Bridgeport; 
George H. Willliams, Danbury; M. H. 
Griffing, Danbury; Charles H. Nettle- 
tQn, Derbv ; Cashier, Deep River Nat. ; 
Charles F". Mitchell, Waterbury; R. E. 
Holmes, Winsted ; F. G. Camp, Middle- 
town ; Frank C. Sumner, treasurer Hart- 
ford Trust company; Charles H. Phelps, 
Merchants' National bank, Norwich. 

H. A. Hoadley, cashier Citizens', of 
Waterbury. 

E. K. Wilkins, Middlesex National,. 
Middletown; M. J. McFarland, treas- 
urer Canton Trust Co., Collinsville; of- 
ficer United States bank, Hartford; F. 
L. Bunce and L. P. Broadhurst, Phoe- 
nix National, Hartford. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



99 



Tuesday, July 12 — Grand Army Day 



This was another lucky day, as the 
morning dawned cool and clear, bring- 
ing a cloudless, dustless day that was 
ideal for a celebration where people 
marched and moved about continually. 
There was not perhaps the rush that 
was noticed on Monday, but there was 
a deeper interest shown that was par- 
ticularly gratifying to all who were con- 
cerned in the preparations for the var- 
ious events. 

The day's programme was a varied 
one, with three parades that were par- 
ticularly attractive. The Schuetzenfest 
parade started at 9 o'clock and was a 
brave display aided by the Meriden Rifle 
club and visitors. Then came the auto- 



mobile parade at 10 :30, followed by the 
G. A. R. state parade at 4 o'clock in 
the afternooon. 

The midway and the street fairs be- 
gan to be looked upon as an accepted 
thing and the shows were thronged 
from the opening time. Thousands of 
visitors came in on the early trains, 
while thousands more came by trolley, 
automobile or carriage and they took 
up the sidewalk procession that was one 
of the great features of the week. 

The loan exhibit, the varied arts ex- 
position and the other attractions were 
very well patronized and it seemed as 
if Meriden's celebration had a start that 
meant a complete success. 



AUTOMOBILE PARADE 



There have been automobile parades 
and automobile parades and yet it is 
doubtful if anything as elaborate, as 
attractive or as generally satisfactory, 
was ever held in Connecticut before 
that could be compared with this pro- 
cession of "whizz" carts. One hundred 
and sixty-two machines of every sort 
and description traveled over the prin- 
cipal streets of the city down lanes of 
enthusiastic people who applauded vig- 
orously the handsomelly decorated cars. 

The cars were really beautiuflly dec- 
orated, no two of them alike and yet a 
great many of them should have been 
awarded prizes had there been enough 
to go around. The honor list of cars 
in the prize contest was almost as long 
as the procession. Flowers in profu- 
sion, vines and greens, flags and bunt- 
ings, plumes and every other variety of 



trimming that the artistic eye and in- 
genious hand could devise were used 
by the competing owners and the result 
was bewildering. 

The judges, Mrs. L. E. Savage, W. 
H. A. Maynard and F. E. Sands, were 
hard put in making their decisions be- 
cause of the successful efforts of the 
competing chauffeurs. It was unani- 
mously decided to award the first prize 
to Dr. F. L. Murdock and his hand- 
some big Thomas car. This car which 
was filled with charming girls, was a 
symphony in pink and green with flow- 
ers forming an arch over the riders. 
A swan was perched on the hood. 

The second prize was given to Pub- 
lic Works Commissioner W. A. Pen- 
field, whose Pope-Toledo was arranged 
with a charming conceit. It was all in 
purple, the Elks' color, with 1806 and 



lOO 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



iifpilp^^lipii^pi 




W. H. A. MAYNARD, 
Auto Parade Committee. 





DR H. A. MEEKS, 
Auto Parade Committee. 




I. L. Holt. 
Auto Parade Committee. 



F. E. !?_\\u>. 
Auto Parade Judi 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



lOI 



1906 on either side of the hood and in 
front of the radiator was a great elk's 
head and from the antlers purple rib- 
bons ran back to the dash. 

I. L. Holt's Autocar was acclaimed 
winner- of the third prize and this was 
a popular verdict. There were ladies 
in this car and all were dressed in white. 




DR. F. L. MURDOCK, 
Marshal Auto Parade. 

Huge white chrysanthemums formed the 
basis of the decorations of Mr. Holt's 
car and it was decidedly an artistic suc- 
cess. 

But there were many cars and they 
were so prettily decorated that they 
should be mentioned. The official pace 
maker, W. A. King's car, with Ray 
King driving and two buglers led the 
way. The parade formed on City park, 
then coming down Camp street to Col- 
ony, to West Main, to Linsley avenue, 
and then to Hanover and out East Main 
to Pratt, then to Broad, up Broad to 
Curtis, wheeling there and down to East 
Main, then to Colony and Britannia 
street, where they were dismissed. 

Following the official car came Miss 
Anne Rust with her runabout prettily 



arranged with red poppies. Then came 
Mrs. E. H. White and her car was very 
attractive in white and pink. Mrs. E. 
H. Fennessy's car was very sweetly ar- 
ranged with a floral effect that was one 
of the hits of the parade. Dr. McMa- 
hon's car in pink and green ; Dr. Cooke's 
a dream in green and white ; Dr. Smith's 
in flags and bunting, and many others 
were deserving of special praise. 

Adam Engelhart's Autocar in yellow 
and white was also very effective, while 
the car driven by Mrs. Recihert of New 
Haven was warmly received. Paul 
Booth's car in yellow, green and white, 
was warmly applauded as they passed 
the crowds at various points. 

There were many out of town peo- 
ple in line and some of their cars were 
very attractive. 




DR. T. S. RUST, 
Aide, Auto Parade. 

MERIDEN AUTOISTS. 

Although there is no regularly organ- 
ized automobile club in the city of Mer- 
iden there are a number of machines 
and some of them expensive. They are 
of all makes and some of them cost as 
much as $7,000. but the average figure 
about half that sum. For weeks many 



102 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



of them had been in the hands of the 
decorators and otherwise had ben given 
a general and thorough overhauling. 
Among those who are the owners of au- 
tomobiles in Meriden are : 

I. L. Holt, Clarence R. Sharp, Dr. 
Harold A. Meeks, W. F. Parker, W. D. 
Palmer, Frank C. White, A. R. Cham- 




W. A. KING. 
Aide, Auto Parade. 

berlain, Frank H. Hastings, Louis H. 
Perkins, J. L. Kinney, W. A. King, 
Louis Fisk, John S. Lane, Dr. F. L. 
Murdock, Benjamin Page, D. E. Hall, 
Paul C. Booth, Walter S. Billard, Geo. 
J. Terrell, A. E. Miller, W. C. Homan, 
Victor E. Walker, A. E. Austin, Joseph 
R. Marchesscault, A. Bowe and Son, 
James Duffey, H. H. Fenn, William A. 
Penfield, Mrs. A. H. Shailer, Charles T. 
Dodd, Edgar A. Bennett, Irving J. Sper- 
ry, Arthur E. Cook, F. D. Smith, Edwin 
S. Davis, James B. Tracy, William C. 
Lucas, William J. Fredericks, Jr., Ar- 
thur A. Fogg, Dr. A. C. McMahon, Dr. 
Benjamin H. Carter, Henry L. Smith, 
Waldo L. Upson, Arthur S. Lane, Ar- 
thur E. Hobson, E. W. Smith, Richard 
B. Wood, Andrew F. Fox, R. S. God- 



frey, Ambrose B. Clark, George E. Sav- 
age, Allan H. White, Mary C. White, 
Joseph A. Cooke, Charles H. Aichler, 
Herman Minkwitz, S. B. Hall, A. J. 
Aubrey, W. H. Bigelow, Leland Strong, 
George A. Fay and C. S. Palmer. 

The committee who had the parade 
in charge were Dr. Murdock, Dr. T. 
S. Rust, W. F. Parker, I. L. Holt, Wal- 
ter A. King and Dr. Harold A. Meeks. 

From the moment the plan of an au- 
tomobile parade was proposed these gen- 
tlemen worked most assiduously in the 
interests of the parade, and also the city 
of Meriden. They received assurances 
that there would be a great display of 
machines from other cities in the state 
and from other states. 




W. F. PARKER, 
Aide, Auto Parade. 

Dr. Harold A. Meeks, who was one 
of the members of the committee, is one 
of the best known physicians in the city. 
He has been a member of the hospital 
staff since its organization. Dr. Meeks 
was born in Preakness, N. J., on July 
27, 1868, and came from an old Knick- 
erbocker family. He is a descendant of 
Abra Clarke, one of the signers of the 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



103 



Declaration of Independence and of 
Captain Francis Van Dyke who was in- 
strumental in the capture of Major An- 
dre. He attended school in New York 
city and graduated from Phillips Exe- 
ter academy where he prepared for Col- 
umbia college. He studied medicine at 
the Bellevue Hospital Medical college, 
from which he graduated and was 
awarded the degree of M. D. in 1890. 
In the following year he came to Meri- 
den, since which time he has built up a 
very lucrative practice. For three years 
he was town physician of Meriden and 
has been city health officer since 1901. 
He was married in 1892 to Florence 
Austin, of Meriden. and has two sons. 



Dr. Frederick L. Murdock is one of 
the most enthusiastic automobilists in 
the city of Meriden and from the start 
worked night and day for the success of 
the automobile parade. He is one of 
the leading dentists of the city and for 
years has occupied handsomely furnished 
rooms in the Wilcox block. He was 
born in England and came to America 
when a boy and received the greater 
part of his education here. After grad- 
uating at the High school he took a 
course in arts and upon receiving the 
degree of B. A., he returned to Eng- 
land where he studied dentistry for five 



years. When he received his permission 
to practice he went to Montreal, Cana- 
da, where he took a post graduate 
course. He located at first in Syracuse, 
N. Y., and in 1891 came to Meriden 
and began the practice which he has 
continued ever since. He is both well 
known and popular. 



Dr. Theodore S. Rust of East Main 
street has owned an automobile ever 
since they have been on the market and 
at the present time is the possessor of 
three machines. He has a fine garage 
in the rear of his residence and is an 
expert in the handling of the machines. 
He is also something of a machinist and 
manufacturer. In a room in the base- 
ment of his residence is a small but 
complete machine shop. • The lathes, 
drills, saws and other machines are run 
by electricity and Dr. Rust built the mo- 
tors. He has also made all the tools he 
uses and a short time ago he completed 
a camera. Dr. Rust worked hard for the 
success of the automobile parade and 
in speaking of it said he expected there 
would be at least 150 cars in line. Dr. 
Rust has a high reputation as a dentist. 
He started in practice forty-eight years 
ago and has been located in this city 
ever since. 



GRAND ARMY CONVENTION 



Hundreds of the gray-haired vete- 
rans of the Civil war, filled with the 
stirring spirit of the joyous occasion, 
came to town by every train, accom- 
panied by women folks, to attend the 
thirty-eighth annual encampment of the 
Department of Connecticut, which last- 
ed two days. 

Immediately upon arrival the visitors 
were taken in tow by their Meriden 
brethren. "You own the town while 
you're here," they were told. "Have a 
good time," and the young-old surviv- 
ors of the great struggle proceeded to 
follow directions. The commodious G. 
A. R. building on Colony street was the 
gathering place for the "vets" and there 



they swappped reminiscences and re- 
newed old acquaintances. If any peo- 
ple enjoyed the celebration of the looth 
anniversary of the incorporation of the 
town of Meriden, they seemed to. Every 
one did his share to make it pleasant for 
the honored wearers of the blue. 

In groups many of the visitors 
started out soon after they arrived to 
see the sights. "I'm going to do this 
Midway," one lively old soldier declared 
and it wasn't long before his example 
was being followed by many of the oth- 
ers. "A great time. Meriden is doing 
herself proud," was the verdict after 
they had seen only part of the big show. 

Judging by the enthusiasm displayed 



104 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




GRAND ARMY HALL, 
Headquarters of G. A. R. Convention. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



105 




EDWARD HARLAND, 
First Commander of Connecticut Department, G. A. R. 



io6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



by the vets and way in which they en- 
tered into the festivities, "old soldier" 
is a misnomer. 

The first business of the day was 
the meeting of the council of adminis- 
tration at Department Commander Al- 
ber A. May's headquarters in the Mer- 
iden house at 9 a. m. Those permitted 
to attend this conference and who were 
present were : 

OFFICERS. 

Commander, Albert A. May, Post 8, 
Meriden ; S V. Commander, Franklin 
Ball, Post 13, Bristol; J. V. Com- 
mander. L. W. Scofield, Post 23, Stam- 
ford ; Chaplain, William F. Hilton, Post 
50, Hartford. 

OFFICIAL STAFF. 

Assistant Adjutant-General, John H. 
Thacher, Post 50, Hartford ; Assistant 
Quartermaster General, Wm. E. Mor- 
gan, Post 17, New Haven; Inspector, 
Wm. Ferguson, Post 4, South Manches- 
ter; Chief Mustering Officer, L. A. 
Northrop, Post 36, Wallingford ; Judge 
Advocate,, J. F. Simmons, Post 33, 
Winsted ; Senior Aide-de-Camp, James 
R. Sloane, Post 8, Meriden. 

COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION. 

Thomas Boudren, Post 3, Bridgeport; 
D. C. Kilbourn, Post 80, Litchfield; L. 
D. Phelps, Post 71, Rockville; Henry 
F. Royce, Post 30, Willimantic. 

The council transacted routine busi- 
ness only and, acting as an auditing 
board on financial statemen,ts, found 
everything O. K. By their session much 
work was relieved from the encamp- 
ment. 

At 10 o'clock the encampment was 
called to order in the auditorium of the 
Town hall, only the representatives of 
the various posts of the state being ad- 
mitted. Reports were read. 

The report of Commander May is 
summarized as follows : 

ADDRESS OF THE DEPARTMENT COM. 

Comrades of the Department of Con- 
necticut, Grand Army of the Repub- 
lic. Members of the Thirty-ninth 
Annual Encampment. 
Through the kind dealings of a Gra- 
cious Providence, we are permitted to 
gather in this beautiful city in annual 
encampment. To-day marks the com- 
pletion of another year of our existence 



and we are still spared, as monuments 
of God's mercy, to meet and greet each 
other in glad reunion. 

One year ago, by the expressed wish 
of the members of the thirty-eighth an- 
nual encampment, you elected me to the 
high and honorable position of depart- 
ment commander. I accepted the posi- 
tion with fear and trembling. I had 
some conception of the duties of the 
office, but feared my ability to discharge 
those duties, or meet the requirements. 
The year has come and gone. Every 
question, every phase of the work of 
the Grand Army of the Republic, and 
all the duties of the department com- 
mander have been met and settled as 
they have come up, without fear or fa- 
vor. The year has come to a close ; 
my record as department commander is 
completed ; and to-day I come before 
you, to give an account of my steward- 
ship, whether it has been good or evil. 

MY STAFF. 

No commander ever had a better staff. 
I feel that I have been greatly blessed 
and encouraged by associating with the 
members of the staff, all of whom have 
performed their duties to the entire 
satisfaction of the commander, and I 
believe to the department as well. 
Where all have done so well it is hard 
to meet out praise to one that does not 
apply to them all. In selecting the staff 
I did not consult any one, but selected 
those whom I believed would be con- 
genial and companionable and true 
Grand Army men. The feeling comes 
to me that every choice was a wise one. 

It must be borne in mind that the 
staff has been led a hard and strenuous 
chase up and down the state, and none 
of them have felt quite equal to the 
task, but I have almost always been 
accompanied by one or more. I feel 
that I should be remiss in my duty if 
I did not say a "word in reference to 
at least three members ; namely, the A. 
A. G., he A. Q. M. G. and the' patriotic 
instructor. Comrades Thacher and Mor- 
gan are too well and favonably known 
to you all to need any special mention, 
yet I desire to say that two better, more 
painstaking and careful officers it would 
be hard to find. I have ever found 
them kind, courteous and ready to as- 
sist in every way possible. 

After the meeting of the national en- 
campment it became my duty to appoint 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



107 




ALBERT A. ^lAY, 
Department Commander, Connecticut G. A. R. 



io8 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



a patriotic instructor, who hccamc a 
nunilicr of the staff. The position was 
tciidcrcd to Comrade Nelson L. Bish- 
op, of Norwicli, and after much per- 
suasion lie accei)ted. lie has been 
zealous, active and i)roKressive, and has 
formulated plans that nuist he of great 
advantage to the departmtnt. lie has 




GEN. FRANKLIN BALL, 
Senior Vice Department Commander. 

proved himself to be the right man in 
the right place. 

To every member of my staff I ex- 
tend my personal thanks for their uni- 
form kindness and courtesy. We have 
been a happy family, and I love you all. 



Many of the aides, both regular and 
special, have done good work in visit- 
ing with me, in cheering, and encour- 
aging me on my way, and to them I 
express my sincere thanks. 

.SOUIIERS' HOMK. 

Your commander has taken a very 
active interest in the home. He has 
visited it a great many times. Some 
times the officers knew he was coming, 
and at other times they did not ; but 



lie has always found them ready and 
dressed for company; it has always 
been the same. 

(Jn July 8, 1905, together with his ex- 
cellency, Governor Roberts, the mem- 
bers of my staff, the soldiers' hospital 
board, the sdldiers' home cf>mmiHee 
and the council of administration, a 
visit was made to the home. The lack 
of suitable sanitary accommodations 
was pointed out, and it was voted to 
liave this defect remedied. The com- 
mander also called attention to the lack 
<if amusement, and suggested pool ta- 
bles. Me was informed that if the de- 
partment of Coimecticut would furnish 
the tables, the board would furnish the 
room. It is needless to repeat what 
was published in general orders. Suf- 
iice it to say, the tables were purchased, 



^r 




X 




COL. LIAVIS A. NORTIlROr, 
Chief Mustering Officer. 

thanks to the generosity of the com- 
rades ; the room was provided, thanks 
to the hosi)ital board. The tables were 
installed, and on Monday, January i, 
l';o6 ,a large and happy party, includ- 
ing Governor Roberts, assembled at 
the home for the purpose of formally 
opening the pool room. The occasion 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



109 



will never be forgotten bj' tho5e who 
were present. We now have three pool 
tables and one billiard table, and all in 
good condition in a beautiful room. If 
an\- of you desire to know whether or 
not these tables are appreciated, go 
down any day and see for yourself. 
Late in the fa!! tlie sanftar.- improve 




COL. \VM. FERGUSON, 
Department Inspector. 

ments were completed, electricity was 
put in, and other things done for the 
betterment of the condition of our 
comrades at the home; and now it can 
be said that no soldiers' home any- 
where is better managed, better equipped 
or more like a home, and it can also 
be said that no state in the Union is 
more free or lavish with its funds for 
the aid of the old soldier, than our own 
state • of Q)nnecticut. 

W. R, C HOME. 

Your attention has been called many 
times during the year to the noble work 
accomplished by the W. R. C, and the 
establishing of the beautiful home at 
Cromwell for the accommodation of the 
old soldier and his wife. They have 
done as only true, loyal, loving women 



can do. The}- need our assistance in 
many ways ; they need financial aid, but 
they need our recognition and our in- 
fluence more. They are coming be- 
fore the next Legislature to ask for 
aid. \yith the influence of the G. .\. R. 
and with our full endorsement of the 
home, the}- can be successful ; for I be- 
lieve our Legislature stands, or will 
stand, ready to assist such a noble, such 
a praiseworthy object. 

On February i, 1906, a most glorious 
and beautiful day, there was gathered 
in Cromwell one of the largest, if not 
the largest, number of people that was 
ever seen in the town at one time. It 
was the opening of the W. R. C. home 
and certainly no home has ever had a 
more auspicious opening. More than a 
thousand men and women from every 
part of the state wefe present and aU 




COL._ JOHN H. THACHLR, 
Assistant .Adjutant General. 

spoke in the highest terms of the home 
and its beautiful surroundings. The 
dedicator}- services, which were held 
in one of the near-b>- churches, were of 
a ver}- high order and fully in keeping 
with the noble objects for which the 
home is established. 



no 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



1 therefore recommend that as a de- 
partment we fully endorse the work of 
tlie W. R. C. in estalilislnnjj this liomc, 
aiid pledge them our inlluonce and our 
support. 

SPECIAL COMMITTEKS. 

December 31. 1905, the commander 
appointed a committee oi one comrade 




WM. E. MORGAN. 
Assistant Quartermaster General. 

from each post in Fairfield county to 
take into cotisideration the formation 
of a county organization, similar to those 
in the state of New York. The organ- 
ization has not yet ben completed. I be- 
lieve it is a good thing and should be 
tried. 

December 22, ick)5, word was received 
that there was danger of the Eldridge 
collection of war relics being purchased 
and sent out of the state. Relieving 
this rare and complete collection ought 
to remain in the state, a committee 
of three was appointed to take this mat- 
ter into consideration, with the result 
that a public meeting was held in Unity 
hall, Hartford, and a committee of eight 
gentlemen from different parts of the 
state was selected to arrange with Mr. 



Eldridge to keep the collection in the 
state until after the meeting of our next 
Legislature. I feel we ought to use our 
best exertions to have this collection 
remain in Connecticut. 

hedications. 

Your commander was invited and 
participated in the dedication of three 
monuments; namely, June lO, in New 
Haven, October 4, in North Haven, and 
October 7 in Ludlow. Vermont. 

NATIONAL ENCAMTMENT. 

1 doubt if a more congenial party ever 
left Connecticut on a more perfect day 
than did the party of 147 that started 
lor Denver Friday, the first day of Sep- 
tember, iyo5, and from the time the 
train started until we reached Denver 
there was practically not one thing to 




DR. LEVI TEWETT. 
Medical Director, G. A. R. 

disturb the peaceful enjoyment of the 
party. To describe minutely each inci- 
dent of the trip, each scene which pre- 
sented itself to our view in going over 
mountains and through valleys, would 
take too much valuable time, and make 
altogether too voluminous a journal of 



CENTENNIAL OF MKKIDKN. 



I I I 



proceedings, so I can only toncli upon 
what was to me, and 1 (liiiik to most 
of llio parly, a conlinnal rcvi-lation of 
llu' ho.iuty and grandeur of this onr hc- 
lovcd conntry. Tlio picluros(|Ui- scrn- 
(.ry of tlu' LcliiKh valloy, tlic Allogliony 
monnt.-iins, and tlu- villages nestling 
among them — who can descril)e it all, 
as one scene ;ifter aiiotlier ojiened nj) 




COL. N 1:1. SON 1.. i^isnop. 

Department I'.itriotic Instrncfor. 

lufure us as we sped .along ; and when 
night closed in upon ns, it found us 
str.aining onr eyes to catch glimpses of 
still other scenes. 

We reached Chicago :diont 1 o'clock 
S.iturday, resuming our journey just 
hefore midnight, and reached Omaha at 
noon Sunday. All ;ifternoon, all night, 
and part of the next day, we traveled, 
crossing the great state of Nebraska. I 
never re.alizrd the greatness, tlie vast- 
ness of tliis conntry, as I did wliile 
passing through some of those gre.it 
states. I know there must be great at- 
tractions in the state of Nel)raska, but 
to us, traveling over the V. P. railway, 
it was a dreary outlook. I'^or miles 
and miles, as far as the eye could reacli 
no living thing was to be seen, but here 
and there a prairie dog. 



We reached CiuNrmic Monday morn- 
ing, and here some of us decided to 
stop for the day, ;md witness the sports 
of what is c.ilied "l'"rontier Day," and 
we felt well repaid, for the scenes were 
truly nerve-trying and soul-stirring to 
the 10,01x1 or more jieople who .assem- 
bled to witness them. 

We left Cheyeime .at h.iif p.ast 7 Tues- 
(i.iy inorning, reaching Denver, the ob- 
jcciivc point of our trip, about noon. 
riu- Inst impression we had of Denver 
was that il was packed solid full of 
luopie; that there could never be room 
lor the v.ast throng th.at w.as |)ushing 
and elbowing its way up I7tli street; 
found tii.it the city coubl 
even a nnicli Larger mun- 



we soon 
care of 



but 
t.ak 
iuT. 

( )n evi-r_v 
the liliMlglll 



hand wore eviilences of 
.and precaution taken by 




LA lb; 1. 1;. inwii', 

Past Commander Coim. (j. A. 



R. 



the committee of arr.mgements and the 
connnittee of entertainment, and of the 
taste and ability displayed by the com- 
mitte of decorations. Flags and bunt- 
ing everywhere, and at night the elec- 
tric lights in many designs and colors 
m.ide a brilliant and enchanting specta- 
cle. 



112 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Wednesday, the day of the parade, 
was a perfect day, and we venture to 
say that no encampment of the G. A. 
R. ever had a more propitious opening. 
Connecticut certainly made a grand 
showing with sixty men in line, headed 
by a quartette of Denver young ladies 
dressed in the national colors, acting 
as escort, which was certainly a taking 
feature. 




HON. MORGAN G. BULKELIA', 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

The National convention assembled 
at ID o'clock Thursday morning, and 
was a very successful and harmonious 
convention. 

After the close of the convention, we 
spent a few days in Denver in sight- 
seeing. We took a trip over the Switz- 
erland trail, and no words of mine can 
fully describe it. It was grand beyond 
anything my imagination could have 
painted. 

Wednesday, the 17th, we wended our 
way towards the Pacific coast, as far 
as Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, 
where we spent ten delightful days. 
We visited and bathed in the great Salt 
Lake, visited the Mormon tabernacle, 
and many other places of note . 

Sunday, the 24th, we turned our 
faces homeward, where we arrived the 
30th day of September, after the most 
delightful trip of my whole life. 



VISITS. 

Your commander, figuratively speak- 
ing has had his headquarters in the 
saddle during the year. He has vis- 
ited very nearly all the posts, and 
some he has visited two and even three 
times. Everywhere he has ben received 
with a warm, loyal, soldier's welcome. 

April 23, 1906, we attended the an- 
nual gathering of the Second company 
of the Governor's Foot Guard of New 
Haven, which was exceedingly pleasant. 

April 25, 1906, we visited the annual 
convention of the Sons of Veterans in 
Hartford, and had a pleasant visit 
with them. 

May 9, 1906, we visited the annual 
convention and camp fire of the W. R. 
C. in New London, and received a very 
cordial reception. 




WILBUR F. ROGERS, 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

TYLER POST, 50 — LEWIS W. SMITH. 

Fairly in my administration a con- 
troversy arose in Tyler post. No. 50, as 
to who was the senior past post com- 
mander. The matter was referred to 
the department commander, and by him 
to the judge advocate. In the judge 
advocate's report you will find the pro- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX, 



113 



ceedings and recommendations. . Tyler 
post has petitioned the department com- 
mander to have the honors restored to 
Comrade Smith. I most heartily rec- 
ommend such restoration. 

PATRIOTIC INSTRUCTOR. 

The wisdom of the national encamp- 
ment in creating a new staff officer, 




N. BURTON ROGERS, 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

"Patriotic linstructor," to my mind has 
been illustrated by the increased inter- 
est that has been taken in this and 
other states in diffusing the spirit of 
patriotism among the children of the 
public schools. This matter is fully 
and properly brought to your attention 
in the report of the department patriotic 
instructor. Your commander recom- 
mends that in the future, in this state, 
the last school day before Memorial 
day, be set apart as the day for visit- 
ing schools, and for them to have their 
patriotic exercises. 

OBITUARY. 

During this year the department has 
been called upon to mourn the loss of 
four of our esteemed comrades and past 
department officers ; all good soldiers, 
good officers, good comrades, good 

8 



men, true to the best interests of the 
G. A. R., honest with their fellow men 
and citizens of exemplary character, 
^lay their memory remain with us to 
cheer us : Irving W. Phelps, of Win- 
star, past junior vice department com- 
mander, died at his home August 24, 
1905, and was buried in Winsted by 
Palmer post. No. 3^. William H. Pier- 
pont, past department commander, died 
in Springfield, Mass., December 27, 
1905, in his seventieth year. He was 
buried in Fair Haven with Masonic 
honors, although the G .A. R. took a 
part. The department commander was 
in attendance. Isaac B. Hyatt, past 
department commander, died at his 
home in ]\Ieriden, April 28, 1906, just 
past his fifty-eighth birthday, one of 
our youngest and best comrades. He 
was buried in Walnut Grove with full 
G. A. R. service, and his was one of 




JUDGE A. B. BEERS, 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

the largest funerals ever seen in Mer- 
iden. The department commander was 
present. John K. Bucklyn, past depart- 
ment commander, died at his home in 
Mvstic. Mav 15. 1906. He was seventy- 
one vears "of age. The funeral was 
held in his school room and was very 



114 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



impressive; he was buried with G. A. 
R. service, by Post 55. The depart- 
ment commander was present. 

My comrades, it behooves each of us 
to be also ready, for in an hour when, 
we think not the Son of Man cometh. 




CHARLES L. UPHAM, 
First Junior Vice Com. Conn. G. A. R. 

CONCLUSION. 

My comrades, in concluding this my 
address or report ,1 do so with mingled 
feelings of joy and sorrow. Joy at 
what has been accomplished during the 
year, joy at what has come to me per- 
sonally in my intercourse with the com- 
rades and their friends throughout the 
state, joy that God in His infinite 
mercy has been so kind toward us. 
Sorrow that I have not accomplished 
more, sorrow at the thought of the 
small posts who are struggling to re- 
tain an eixstence, sorrow that I cannot 
shake hands with every indiviudal mem- 
ber of the department of Connecticut, 
and tell them hov/ grateful I am for 
the honor and confidence they have 
reposed in me. 

In closing let me again thank you 
for your uniform kindness and courtesy 
to me. I have endeavored to do my 



duty as I found it, and I cannot recall 
a single ofhcial act of mine that I 
would change, were I called upon to 
render another decision under like cir- 
cumstances. 

The department was never in better 
fraternal condition than now ; peace 
and harmony, good will and love pre- 
vails the entire length and breadth of 
the state. 

I am to surrender to another the au- 
thority you placed in my hands one 
year ago. I bespeak for my successor, 
whoever he may be. the same loyal sup- 
port you have given me. I pledge my 
hearty support to whoever follows me, 
and assure you, my comrades, that my 
interest in the G. A. R. will not grow 
less after my retirement liom office. 
Anything I can do at any time for my 
post or individual member, you have 




W. C. HILLARD. 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

but to command and I will obey. Re- 
membering always that "None are fit 
to command who have not first learned 
to obye." God bless and keep you. 
Submitted in F. C. and L. 

ALBERT A. MAY, 
Department Commander. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



115 



REPORT OF ADTUTANT GENERAL. 

A. A. May, Department Commander, 
Department of Connecticut, G. A. 
R. Comrades: 

To you and through you to the com- 
mander of the department I have the 
honor to make my report, in accord- 
ance with the rules and regulations of 




GUSTAVUS D. BATES, 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

our order, for the year ending June 
30, 1906. 

Members in good standing De- 
cember 31, 1905 3,936 

Gained by muster 42 

Gainted by transfer 29 

Gained by reinstatement .... 250 

Total gain 311 

4,247 

I.ost by death 149 

Lost honorable discharge .... 14 

Lost transfer 45 

Lost suspension 100 

Lost delinquent 43 

Total loss 351 

Remaining in good standing, 3,896 



We have lost one post by surrender 
of charter, Post 83, Simsbury. A net 
loss of one post and forty comrades, 
not a bad showing when you take into 
consideration the death rate of 149, and 
delinquent report of forty-three, which 
practically made a gain of three over 
last year as this post has since made 
good. 

It has been the busiest year in the 
department for a long time. Energy 
and life seemed to be infused into it. 
I am pained to have to report the 
passing over of so many of the com- 
rades, a good proportion my personal 
and dear friends. It makes my task 
harder to perform to lose them and 
sadder to report and know it. I am 
assured that the work of the depart- 
ment has been faithfully cared for in 
so far as the other officers are con- 
cerned, and I trust my own will meet 




IRA E. HICKS, 
Past Commander Conn. G. A. R. 

the approval of yourself and the de- 
partment at large. 

To you I have only the warmest 
words of thanks for the large amount 
of work you have done that naturally 
belonged to my office, and personally 
my sincere regard. If I have met your 



ii6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



approval and merit the honor conferred 
on me in your appointment I am more 
than repaid. 

Yours in F., C. & L. 

JOHN H. THACHER, 
Assistant Adjutant-General. 



DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 
Following is a brief summary of the 
reports of the G. A. R. department of- 
ficers and committees : 

QUARTERMASTER MORGAN. 

Assistant Quartermaster General W. 
E. Morgan, of New Haven, receipts 
during the year of $1,590.78, and dis- 
bursements of $1,670.81, leaving a bal- 
ance with cash on hand at the begin- 
ning of the year of $5,045.38, of $4,965,- 
35. Other property inventories $609.- 
39 so that the total assets of the de- 
partment are $5,574.74. 

MEDICAL INSPECTOR. 

Department Medical Inspector Levi 
Jewett, of Cobalt, reported that there 
had been no unusual cases of disease 
and death during the year. He had 
visited the Soldiers' home and found 
everything satisfactory. 

DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR. 

Department Inspector William Fer- 
guson, of South Manchester, said he 
had no report as there was no inspec- 
tion as formerly and he would recom- 
mend the abolishment of the office if 
it were not foir the opportunity of 
serving as staff officer. 

MUSTERING OFFICER. 

Chief Mustering Officer Lewis A. 
Northrop, of Wallingford, reported on 
the installations of officers of the var- 
ious posts during the year. 

CHAPLAIN HILTON. 

Department Chaplain William F. 
Hilton, of Hartford, reported that fif- 
ty-three posts had attended Memorial 
day services and so reported to him, 
2,351 comrades participating in the ser- 
vices. There were 12,371 graves deco- 
rated. He reported that 703 graves of 
soldiers were without headstones and 
suggested activity along that line. 

soldiers' HOME. 

William C. Hillard, chairman of the 
Soldiers' Home committee, reported that 
they had visited the home and detailed 
some of the improvements made. He 



reported the home in excellent condi- 
tion and well managed. He expressed 
thanks to Governor Roberts for his in- 
terest in this matter. 

PATRIOTIC INSTRUCTOR. 

Patriotic Instructor N. L. Bishop, of 
Norwich, reported that a circular let- 
ter recommending school exercises and 
the introduction in the schools of the 
"Salute of the Flag" had been sent to 
sixty-two posts. Reports from twenty- 
eight posts indicated that the "Salute 
to the Flag" is generally practiced in 
public and private schools in their 
jurisdiction and that the authorities 
have generally co-operated in promot- 
ing school memorial exercises. 

JUDGE ADVOCATE. 

Judge Advocate F. L. Simmons, of 
Winsted reported but one case of dis- 
sension, that in Tyler post, of Hart- 
ford, over the past post commander, 
which had been satisfactorily settled. 

The reports were then referred to 
the proper committees. The other mat- 
ter of public interest was the grateful 
acceptance by the encampment of the 
invitation to be present at the exer- 
cises at the First M. E. church when 
Susan Carrington Clarke chapter, D. 
A. R., presented a memorial tablet to 
the Curtis Memorial library. 

ENCAMPMENT ADJOURNED. 

The encampment adjourned at noon 
and convened again at i 130. Then bus- 
iness of minor importance was tran- 
sacted, and at 2 o'clock the veterans 
marched over to the First M. E. church. 

At 4 o'clock the soldiers assembled 
at the Town hall for the big G. A. R. 
parade, a splendid procession and one 
that elicited favorable comment all 
along the line. The formation was on 
Main street. The order of formation 
was as follows : 

Marshal, Department Commander Al- 
bert A. May and staff. 
Police Escort. 
Band. 
Department Posts, according to Post 
Numbers. 
Merriam Post, No. 8. 

Route of March : East Main to Col- 
ony, Colony to opposite State school, 
countermarch on Colony to West Main, 
to Butler, countermarch on West Main 
to East Main, to Pratt, to Center and 
dismiss. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



117 



At 8 o'clock at night a camp fire 
was held at the auditorium of the town 
hall. Music was furnished by the Mer- 
iden Military band and the New York 
Glee club, of which William Heaton, 
formerly of this citj', is a member. 

The exercises were opened with a se- 
lection by the band, after which the 
invocation of the Divine blessing was 
made by Rev. I. N. Phelps, rector of 




S. B. HORNE, 
Past Commander, Conn. G. A. R. 

All Saints' church. The quartet then 
sang "The Bugle Song." after which 
Commander James R. Sloane, of Mer- 
riam post welcomed the visitors in » 
bright, happy speech, in which he paid 
eloquent tribute to what Meriden did 
for the nation in the Civil War. 



Commander Sloane was followed by 
Mayor T. L. Reilly, who in a neat speech 
welcomed the encampment in behalf of 
the city. He said that the presence of 
so many veterans of the civil war in the 
cit\' and the inspiring parade of the af- 
ternoon was a lesson which the people 
of the city will not soon forget. He 
extended the freedom of the city to 
the G. A. R. men and said that he was 
confident that the freedom would not be 
abused. His speech was received with 
cheers. 



x'\fter a selection by the band De- 
partment Commander May, responded 
to the address of welcome, speaking in 
part as follows: "I can hardly find 
word.s to express my feelings on this 
occasion. I have listened to the words 
of the post commander and our mayor 
with much interest. If I were a resi- 
dent of some other city it would be easy 
to respond to them, but I am a resi- 
dent of the city in which the depart- 
ment of Connecticut is a guest. I am 
proud that we have such a post com- 
mander and such a mayor, whose words 
have the right ring. I rejoice that the 
encampment came here on such a week, 
when the city is bedecked out for the 
holiday which we are all enjoying. I 
am pleased with our accommodations. 
We are the first people to occupy thiis 
splendid building, which has been fitted 
up especially for our benefit. Com- 
rades, you did not elect me a year ago 
because I was a speechmaker and I will 




SELAH G. BLAKEMAN, 
Past Commander, Conn. G. A. R. 

introduce Department Chaplain Hilton, 
who is better able to respond for the de- 
partment than I am." 

CHAPLAIN HILTON. 
Chaplain Hilton said in part : "Com- 
mander, this is a peculiar honor thrust 
upon me at a time when it seems that 
other voices should be heard. The Sil- 



ii8 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



ver City is well named. It has the 
ring of true hospitality and the tone 
is no uncertain one. His Honor, the 
mayor, sized up the true spirit of the 
Grand Army when he said that the 
freedom of the city so cordially ex- 
tended to us will not be abused by a 
^1. A. R. man. We are here as G. A. 
R. men ; men of character, who will 
stand for all that is right and demand 
all good things be sustained. 

It was right. Commander, that the 
G. A. R. should dedicate the auditorium 
of your new town hall. Here we stand 
on the floor of the house where the tone 
and color well symbolize the spirit of 
patriotism. As you look on the drap- 
ery let the spirit that its colors symbol- 
ize fill your hearts. Your Honor, we 
accept your hospitality. We are here, 
your servants ar.d the servants of the 
republic which we all love and uphold, 
God bless Aleriden. May you always 
stand, not always as the silver city, but 
may you rise up as the golden gate 
of the east. In the name of the depart- 
ment commander, I accept 30ur wel- 
come. 



After another song by the quartet, 
which was enthusiastically encored, 
Governor Henry Roberts was intro- 
duced by Department Commander May, 
who at this point took the chair for 
the rest of the evening and presided. 
As the governor rose to speak the band 
played "Hail to the Chief" and the vet- 
erans arose and gave three rousing 
cheers. Governor Roberts spoke eim- 
pressively of what the Grand Army had 
done for the nation, and of the great 
battles of the Civil War, in which the 
Connecticut troops had a prominent 
part. 

BAY STATE COMMANDER. 

In introducing the next speaker Com- 
mander May said that when it was de- 
cided that the encampment was to be 
held in Meriden during the Centennial 
he at once began correspondence with 
Commander-in-Chief Tanner and urged 
him to come. Commander-in-Chief 
Tanner was unable to do so, but de- 
tailed Department Commander J. Pay- 
son Bradley, of the department of Mas- 
sachusetts, who made one of the most 
interesting speeches of the evening. It 
follows in part : 

"I take it that you are all friends of 
the Grand Army. Your presence here 



testifies to that fact. Comrades, I come 
in a dual capacity, as a representative 
of the commander-in-chief, and as a 
comrade. Six years ago we had a 
Grand Army of 600,000 but we have 
been meeting the enemy and have not 
been able to repulse him as well as we 
did forty years ago. He's been mak- 
ing inroads into our ranks. Our num- 
ber has been cut down to about 300,000. 
Then we stood shoulder to shoulder. 
Now the shoulder touch is gone, but 
we touch heart to heart (applause). 

"Our flag is being supported and its 
ideals and the principles it represents 
are upheld as firmly as it was forty 
years ago. (Applause). 

"Comrades, some of you remember 
'Corporal' Tanner as hot headed and 
impetuous and some of you did not like 
his actions. Comrades, Corporal Tan- 
ner is older and more conservative. 
Commander Bradley spoke of the 
friendship of President Roosevelt for 
the G. A. R., telling of his action when 
about to be inaugurated, and members 
of the committee said that the soldiers 
would march at a quickstep and the G. 
A. R. men would not be able to keep up 
as they were too old. President Roose- 
velt said : 'Gentlemen, the Grand Army 
will march in that parade and they will 
be my immediate escort for, were it not 
for them, there would be no inaugura- 
tion.' " (Cheers and applause). The 
speaker, "That's the kind of a presi- 
dent we've got at Washington, Theo- 
dore Roosevelt!" (Cheers.) 

Commander Bradley was bugler to 
the First Mass. Commander May 
asked him to bring his old bugle with 
him. When he showed it, battered as 
it is. it was received with cheers. xA.s 
he blew the "tattoo" the enthusiasm 
knew no bounds. Many of the men in 
the room heard the same bugle at Cold 
Harbor. Some one called for more bu- 
gle calls. Commander Bradley shouted : 
"I'm not going to blow sick call, be- 
cause every mother's son of j'ou would 
go to the surgeon and get your dose 
of quinine and the 'chaser,'* principally 
the chaser. (Laughter).) 

"Comrades, you have done the city of 
IMeriden a signal honor by coming here 
to-day. As his honor, the mayor, said,, 
you have been an inspiration to all who 
see you. I could not close without one 
word : When we were at the front I 
remembered those at home. If there was 
anything that nerved us at the front and 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



119 



Strengthened our arms more than an- 
other it was our own dear mothers, 
wives and sweethearts, praying that 
God would- enable us to put down the 
rebellion that threatened to disrupt our 
nation. I have seen many monuments 
to the soldiers of the nation but I have 
never seen one to the women of the 
nation who suffered as much, nay more, 



S--5L ^ 




REV. JOSEPH J. WOOLLEY. 
First Com. IMerriam Post, G. A. R. 

than we. Such a monument shouuld be 
of the purest marble, lasting as the ages. 
"Comrades, be true and be strong, true 
as the steel with which we met the ene- 
my forty or more years ago. We are a 
united Grand Army now as we were 
then and we shall never sounds "taps" 
but always the 'reveille.' Here Com- 
mander Bradley sounded the reveille 
amid the greatest of enthusiasm. "Com- 
rades, I want to send word to Com- 
mander-in-Chief Tanner that the boys 
of Connecticut in annual encampmest, 
stood on their feet and gave three rous- 
ing cheers for the grand old flag." The 
audience arose and gave the cheers with 
a will. 



May introduced as the principal speak- 
er of the evening, Attorney General 
William A. King, whose address was 
exceedingly interesting. In beginning 
his address Attorney General King 
said : 

"I am glad to see you and glad that 
j-ou look hospitable and I can feel at 
home. Any man ought to feel at home 
in the city where Abiram Chamberlain 
lives (Applause). I asked him once 
where his parents found the name of 
Abiram. He told me that it was in the 
Bible. I've never been able to find it. 
But I've found that behind the name I 
ha\e learned that there was a man of 
noble character, whose ideal of public 
office was to support the best interest 
of the commonwealth." (Applause.) 

He made a great hit when he 




After a medley selection by the quar- 
tet and an encore number Commander 



SAMUEL FESSEXDEX. 
On Roll of Honor, Conn. G. A. R. 

touched up the coal trust, the insurance 
investigation and the Chicago beef 
scandal in characteristic fashion. He 
said, among other things, that though 
trusts did not fear the law it was just 
as well to have a little law on hand. 
He made a strong plea for the primary 
election law, so that a caucus or con- 



120 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



vention cannot be controlled. Public 
sentiment, he said, is stronger than law. 
Public sentiment drove McCurdy to Eu- 
rope, Alexander to an asylum and De- 
pew into retirement. 



The next number was a pleasing se- 
lection by the band, after which Com- 
mander Eugene A. Blake, of Merriam 
post, recited part of a speech delivered 
at the national encampment in San 
Francisco. The quartet then sang "The 
Phantom Hand," after which a verse 
of "America," and the exercises were 
over. 

SECOND DAY'S SESSION. 

The second day's session began at 9 
o'clock Wednesday morning with about 
SCO members on the voting floor and 
the gallery packed with veterans. 

The most important business of the 
day was the election of officers, which 
resulted as follows : 

Department commander — Virgil F. 
McNeil, of New Haven. 

Senior vice commander — Thomas L. 
Bartholomew, of Bridgeport. 

Junior vice commander — Henry B. 
Lawrence, of New London. 

Medical director — Dr. Levi Jewett, of 
Cobalt. 

Chaplain — William F. Hilton, of 
Hartford. 

Council of administration — Thomas 
Boudren, Bridgeport ; H. L. Beach, 
Hartford ; James R. Sloane, Meriden ; 
Henry Robbins. Waterbury, and 
Charles Fenton, Willimantic. 

Delegates to the national encamp- 
ment at Minneapolis. Minn., in August 
— William L. Schaffer (at large), Hart- 
ford; M. B. Schenck, Meriden; Ira B. 
Wildman, Danbury; William H. Loo- 
mis, Rockville; S. L. Schofield, Stam- 
ford ; Wallace S. Chase, Norwalk, and 
G. B. Sperry, New Britain ; Alternates 
— A. W. Healey, Winsted ; James A. 
Church, New Haven ; George A. Tuck- 
er, New Haven ; Ebenezer Bishop, Put- 
nam ; Christian Quinn, Danbury ; 
Henry M. Brown. Ansonia, and George 
Greenman, Norwich. 

All the other offices are appoitive and, 
with the exception of the assistant ad- 
jutant general, were not chosen until 
later on. In the afternoon Department 
Commander-elect McNeil announced 
the reappointments of John H. Thach- 
er, of Hartford, a most efficient and 



obliging officer, as assistant adjutant 
general, and William E. Morgan, ,of 
New Haven, as assistant quartermaster 
general. 

The other members of the command- 
er's official staff, as they are now, are : 

Inspector — William Ferguson, South 
Manchester. 

Chief Mustering Officer — L. A. North- 
rop, Wallingford. 

judge Advocate — J. F. Simmons, 
Winsted. 

Senior aide de camp — James R. 
Sloane, Meriden. 

NOMINATIONS. 

When the encampment began its ses- 
sion, the first business was the reading 
of the committee reports. It was fol- 
lowed by Francis Atwater's remarks in 
connection with an alleged unfriendly 
feeling on the part of the Bristol post 
toward the Dorence Atwater monument 
at Terryville. After discussion on that 
subject candidates were placed in nom- 
ination for ^ the various offices and the 
nominating had no sooner started than 
it was plain that there was a stirring 
battle on between the supporters of Vir- 
gil F. McNeil and Edward Griswold, 
both members of Admiral Foote post, 
New Haven. There wsa talk of spring- 
ing a dark horse from Litchfield county, 
but nothing came of it, and the matter 
simmered down to a hot struggle be- 
tween the two candidates of the same 
post. 

Foote post supported Mr. McNeil, 
and General Embler, of New Haven, 
placed his name in nomination with a 
stirring address. Griswold's advocates 
were a close second in boosting their 
man and soon an oratorical contest 
was on that lasted over an hour. Mr. 
Griswold's home is in Guilford. 

When the smoke had cleared away 
Comrade McNeil had 203 votes and 
Comrade Griswold 168. 

Mr. McNeil took the stage, in re- 
sponse to calls for a speech, and 
thanked the veterans for the high hon- 
or accorded him. He said that he would 
discharge his duties as best he knew 
how for the interests of the Grand 
'Army and asked the members to give- 
him their advice at all times. 

His election was pleasing to Merriam 
post, of Meriden. 

" A vote of thanks was extended to the 
citizens of Meriden, to Merriam post, 
to the W. R. C, to the press and to all 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



121 



who made the stay of the members of 
the Connecticut Department of the 
Grand Army so enjoyable. 

At I o'clock adjournment was taken 
until 2 p. m. At that time Chief Mus- 
tering officer Lewis A. Northrop, of 
Wallingford, installed the new officers 
and other business of minor import- 
ance was transacted. 



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JUDGE DAVID TORRANCE, 
On Roll of Honor, Conn. G. A. R. 

It was claimed tht this w'as one of 
the largest encampments that the de- 
partment ever had and the .vets imited 
in saying that it was certainly the most 
enjoyable. They were heartily appre- 
ciative of Meriden's hospitality to them. 

VIRGIL F. m'nEIL. 

Virgil F. McNeil, of New Haven, the 
newly-elected department commander, 
gives the following concise autobiogra- 
phy : 

"I was born in the town of Sheffield, 
Mass., March i8, 1843. Our family 
moved to Salisbury some two years af- 
ter, where my time was spent in farm- 
ing, and trying to get a district school 
education during the winter season, un- 
til eighteen years of age when I enlist- 
ed in the Seventh C. V., the then Col- 
onel Alfred H. Terrv and Lieutenant 



Joseph R. Hawley being the two prin- 
cipal officers. Served in the Seventh C. 
V. three years. Department of the 
South, Army of the James, and since 
returning to Connecticut have contin- 
uously been engaged in business ; some 
years in the iron business and the bal- 
ance of time in insurance, having es- 
tablished that branch in New Haven in 
1885, and now representing some twen- 
ty-seven lire companies and other com- 
panies for different lines, boiler liability 
and plate glass, etc." 



MR. ATWATER'S APPEAL. 

Francis Atwater, brother of Dorence 
Atwater, who was given the privilege 
of addressing the convention, made th.e 
following appeal : 

Gentlemen — I appear before you to- 
day to ask you to disapprove of the 




HON. JOHN G. ROOT, 
On Roll of Honor, Conn. G. A. R. 

action of your subordinate post. Gil- 
bert W. Thompson, of Bristol, which, 
in my opinion, passed a vote uncalled 
for, most unjust, and reflecting discredit 
upon a soldier whose forethought pre- 
served to this nation the names of 13,- 
000 soldier dead, and only for whom 



122 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



their graves would be unidentified and 
unmarked in the great national ceme- 
tery at Andersonville, where only two 
months ago, it was my pleasure to pass 
through, noting that each grave was 
provided a substantial headstone and 
over all floated the stars and stripes that 
their lives had been sacrificed for. 

The vote of the Gilbert Thompson 
post I refer to is the one it passed ex- 
pressing its disapproval of a memorial 
erected in Terrj^ville, this state, com- 
memorating the patriotic deed and hero- 
ism of Dorence Atwater, who kept the 
death list at Andersonville. 

For more than a score of years I 
have sought high and low to have jus- 
tice done to my brther. I first asked 
the aid of his native town and it was 
freely given. Your Legislature nobly 
seconded my efforts. I appealed to 
Merriam post and was enthusiastically 
supported. Your state encampment was 
prompt to sanction the relief sought, 
and through its influence the matter 
was brought to the attention of the na- 
tional encampment which passed favor- 
able resolutions of support. 

With this backing I asked Congress 
to restore to Dorence Atwater the good 
name that he deserved. I appeared be- 
fore the Military committees of the 
Senate and House, and told of the great 
work he accomplished while a soldier, 
a boy in his teens ; of his confinement 
in Andersonville prison for twenty-two 
months ; his notifying the government, 
upon his arrival home, that he had 
copied secretly the appalling mortality 
list ; of the request of Secretary Stan- 
ton that he return to Washington im- 
mediately, which he did, although still 
very weak from starvation and sick- 
ness ; of the arrangements made in the 
war department to copy his names ; of 
his honorable discharge as a volunteer 
and re-enlistment in the regular army ; 
of his trying to have his rolls returned 
as agreed, so that they could be pub- 
lished to let the people of the north 
know where their kindred were buried ; 
of his offer later to identify the graves 
at Andersonville, which was accepted ; 
his going there with joiners and let- 
terers to erect headboards, and of be- 
ing obliged to have his own list to 
work with, which he subsequently kept, 
claiming it as his own property; of his 
arrest, imprisonment in the old capitol 
at Washington ; of the sitting of the 
court martial whose verdict was that he 



had stolen his own property; of his 
sentence of eighteen months at hard 
labor in Auburn state prison ; being 
fined $300 and to stand committed until 
his rolls were returned ; of his being 
taken from Washington to Auburn, N. 
Y., in irons, which the officer in charge 
ordered made damned tight; of his ac- 
tually serving three months at hard 
labor until General Ben Butler appeared 
in the case when Secretary Stanton or- 
dered his discharge immediately. 

It was simply a discharge and not a 
pardon, and though he served as United 
States consul for twenty-six years the 
peculiar feature is that his sentence 
stood against him. He never served his 
time; he did not pay the $300; nor did 
he ever return the rolls. 

The Military committees reported fa- 
vorably and both houses passed the res- 
olution that set aside the action of the 
court martial and granted him an hon- 
orable discharge. I may add upon the 
authority of the late General Hawley, 
it was the first and only verdict of a 
court martial set aside by Congress. 

Now, with the endorsement of the 
people of his native town, the state of 
Connecticut, the United States, the local 
Grand Army post, the state and national 
encampments, it passes my comprehen- 
sion what motive Gilbert Thompson 
post could have to go out of its way 
to slur the name of a man who did his 
country only good ; though penniless, 
refused an offer of $10,000 from a New 
York Publishing company for his An- 
dersonville list, and replying that his 
object in keeping the record was simply 
to let the friends and relatives know 
where their loved ones could be found. 

I may add further that the memorial 
erected was paid for by private sub- 
scriptions from friends and comrades 
who believe Dorence Atwater is de 
serving of the honor. 

In conclusion, I will say in the forty- 
one years that have passed, my brother 
has suffered in silence the humiliation 
and disgrace ; has never asked anything 
of the government, and the setting 
aside of the court martial and erecting 
the memorial has been without his 
knowledge or consent. 

May I ask you, comrades, in the 
name of decency and justice, to disap- 
prove Gilbert Thompson post's action. 



A committee to investigate the trouble 
was appointed but was later discharged 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



123 



and it was decided to let the matter 
stand with the understanding from Gil- 
bert W. Thompson Post, of Bristol, 
through its commander, that the post is 
in hearty sympathy with the monument 
to Dorence Atwater at Terryville and 
fully recognizes his unusually creditable 
and wonderful war record, and any dif- 




ALBERT F. HALL, 
Past Com. Merriam Post, G. A. R. 

ference of its members as to the project 
would be satisfactorily adjusted. 

MR. ATWATER's service. 

Probably every member of the Grand 
Army of the Republic will recall the 
history of Dorence Atwater, who kepi 
the records of Andersonville prison, rie 
is a son of Henry Atwater, of Ply- 
mouth, Conn., and when a boy was a 
clerk in the store at Terryville. Colo- 
nel A. H. Fenn, in writing of Mr. At- 
water,' says he "has better claims to 
enduring remembrance than that of any 
other person from the town of Ply- 
mouth who went into the war.'' The 
details of his life would read like a ro- 
mance. At the age of sixteen, on the 
outbreak of the war, he enlisted in the 
first squadron of Connecticut Cavalry, 
afterwards attached to the Harris Light 



Cavalry of New York. He served for 
nearly his full term, participating in 
the hard campaigning and sharp battles 
that commanded experience, and was 
finally captured and taken to the terri- 
ble Andersonville prison pen, where so 
many brave Connecticut boys met their 
death. He was an excellent penman 
and for this or some other reason he was 
detailed there for work in the surgeon's 
office of the hospital department, where 
it was his duty to keep a record of tlie 
dead, their regiments, number of their 
graves, etc. While doing this he man- 
aged to keep an extra copy of the rec- 
ord for his own use, and this he brought 
away with him when he was paroled, 
concealing it under his clothing. Ar- 
riving at his home in Terryville, wasted 
almost to a skeleton by sickness, induced 
by army exposure, he was for a while 
danc;en>ush- ill. Meantime the war de- 




WM. H. HARVEY, 
Past Com. Merriam Post, G. A. R. 

partment heard of the valuable records 
and summoned him to Washington, and 
purchased a right to copy the records, 
which were of invaluable service to the 
government and to friends of soldiers 
in determining the fate of many miss- 
ing men. His carefully kept list con- 



124 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



tained the names of thirteen thousand 
soldiers dead. His rolls were copied 
according to agreement, and when Miss 
Clara Barton, the noble friend of Union 
soldiers, went on her expedition to An- 
dersonville after the war to identify 
and properly mark the graves of the 
dead, Atwater was detailed for service 
with her, and his records were placed 
in her possession and were the only re- 
liable records obtainable for identifica- 
tion of the graves. The details of Mr. 
Atwater's subsequent experiences with 
the war department show the most cruel 
case of injustice of a government to- 
wards one of its faithful servants of 
which we have any knowledge. We 
will not enter into the particulars of 
the experience now. He was made to 
suffer a cruel wrong. 

In 1868, still suffering in health from 
his hardships, he was appointed United 
States Consul to the Seychelles Islands, 
in the Indian Ocean. Three years later 
he was transferred to the United States 
Consulate at Tahiti, in the South Pa- 
cific. He was a faithful and valuable 
official in both positions, and only re- 
signed after he had served over a score 
of years. He married a Tahitian lady, 
and' by this marriage is allied to the 
royal family. Her father was an Eng- 
lish gentleman for many years in bus- 
iness in Tahiti. Mr. Atwater still 
makes it h'is home in the South Pacific, 
coming to San Francisco once or twice 
a year. 



DELEGATES TO ENCAMPMENT. 

The representatives to the encamp- 
ment are as follows : 

SEDGWICK POST — NORWICH. 

Vine S. Settson, Edward Caryl, A. A. 
Walker, S. S. Stocking, J. A. Caryl, 
James Mofifit Chauncey H. Fields Chas. 
Burke. Henry Wright, S. L. Peck, James 
J. McCord, Bela P. Learned, Samuel R. 
Knapp, Wni. A. Thompson, George S. 
Smith, Amos D. Allen, Willis W. 
Clarke, John M. Brewer, J. H. George, 
F. W. Faulkner, Wm. H. Palmer, Jr., 
George Kampf, Geo. Greenman, Henry 
Merriman, Edson S. Bishop, James 
Harvey, Wm. A. Aiken, N. L. Bishop. 

NATHANIEL LYON POST — HARTFORD. 

Herschel C. Young, Henry Heise, 
Thomas Killian, George T. Parish, Ho- 
bart W. Deming, DeWitt C. Graves, 
John W. Drew, George Jones, Eugene 



D. Ames, P. J. Callahan, Robert Pyne, 
Charles Jackson. 

ELIAS HOWE, JR., POST — BRIDGEPORT. 

Henry J. Seeley, Edgar Dean, El- 
bert L. Ruggles Frank Miller, S. C. 
Dickinson, A. S. Bodine, W. H. Weicht, 
Almon H. French, C W. Scarritt, Henry 
A. Hurd, C. E. D. Patterson, A. B. 
Beers, R. S. Beers, Wm. E. Disbrow, 
Wm. H. Lyon, Thomas Boudren, G. 
L. Stewart, John R. Hull, T. L. Bar- 
tholomew, Samuel J. Chaffee, James H. 
Smith, William R. Palmer, Russell 
Glenn, Jas. Wheeler, George D. Phillips, 
Richard Fitzgibbons, Walter P. Bryan, 
John W. Thompson, W. W. Porter, A. 
S. Hunt, A. F. Fargo, Chas. E. Moore. 

DRAKE POST — SOUTH MANCHESTER. 

M H. Keeney, E. M. Burdick, T. H. 
Blish, H. W. Hastings, M. S. Chap- 
man, Wm. Ferguson, F. A. Perry, Geo. 
Schildge, W. W. Gammons, H. W. Bar- 
rows, Wm. Naylor. John Loomis. 

EDWARD A. DOOLITTLE POST — CHESHIRE. 

Eri D. Woodbury, Wm. H. Doolittle, 
Geo. F. Tyler, Henry S. Allen, Geo. 
Keeler, F. A. Hotchkiss, E. A. Atwater, 
A. E. Smith, Geo. N. Griffin, C. S. 
Spaulding, H. A. Brooks, Geo. E. 
Tucker. 

MASON ROGERS POST — BRANFORD. 

Chas. H. Frisbie, Oscar M. Weed, E. 
M. Thayer, Joseph Lee, George W. 
Beach, J. Edwin Towner, N. R. Ter- 
hune, E. C. Johnson, A. B. Barker, 
J. A. Linsley, E. C. Johnson, H. W. 
Hubbard, S. G. Cook, E. J. Bird, E. D. 
Sheldon, G. Bush. 

MERRIAM POST — MERIDEN. 

James R. Sloane, James B. Tracy, 
George B. Lawton, Albert L. Bartlett, 
George S. Wilcox, M. B. Schenck, John 
S. Lane, Ansel J. Doolittle, Frank J. 
Carter, Isaac B. Hyatt, Wm. G. Galla- 
ger, Fred A. Higb\-, Wilbur F. Rogers, 
Constans C. Kinne, Julius Augur, Al- 
bert F. Hall, H. L. B. Pond, Chas. S. 
Kelsey, Jacob McCall, C. A. Brecken- 
ridge, Byron C. Harvey, Frank Han- 
cock, Hector C. Haydn, Albert A. May, 
Thos. A. Benham, Eugene A. Blake, 
Emerson O. Puffer, William H. Har- 
vey, Timothy E. Hawley. 

MORTON A. TAINTOR POST — COLCHESTER. 

Joseph A. Gardner, Charles Clark, 
John H. Huntley, Levi M. Chapman, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



125 



John C. Ladd, George Brown, Joseph 
H. Talbert. 

STANLEY POST NEW BRITAIN. 

Ezra Sprague, Wm. F. Sternberg, 
Juhus O. Deming, Homer F. Damon, 
A. G. Henderson, Fred C. Scharff, 
Henry L. Porter, Wm. McNary, Ed- 
ward Yates, Ira E. Hicks. Charles H. 
Beaton, Wm. H. Gladden, Patrick 
I\Iarr, Francis H. Smith, George H. 




C. C. KINNE, 
Past Com. Alerriam Post, G. A. R. 

Beckett. C. B. Erichson, Alexander 
Eades, Huber Bushnell, Edward A. Al- 
press, Loren D. Penfield. Abram How- 
ell. Wm. H. Relyea, Richard Cassady, 
Wm. E. Latham, Chas. E. Kempshall, 
William W. Pinks. Addison G. INIcKee, 
Wm. E. Stewart, Gilbert J. Bentley. 

BUCKINGHAM POST — NORWALK. 

F. S. Middlebrook. Chas. W. Bennett, 
Richard J. Cutbill. David E. Godfrey, 
Edwin H. Baldwin. John E. Howard, 
Wesley M. Niblock, James L. Lyon. 

GILBERT W. THOMPSON POST — BRISTOL. 

Geo. T. Cook, Geo. H. Bates, Aaron 
C. Dresser, Harrison S. Judd, Clarence 
H. Muzzy, Franklin Ball, Wm. Hub- 
bell, Z. Fuller Grannis, W. H. Hutch- 
inson, Captin T. B. Robinson, Geo. 
Merriman, W. C. Hillard, Herman W. 
Weeks, Captain Ira B. Smith, A. C. 



Loomis, Irving W. Tvler, John • Wal- 
ton, B. S. Keith, F. W'. Perry, Wm. A. 
Ambler, Geo. W. Raymond, Chas. F. 
Loomis, G. I. Buxton, A. A. Hauschild, 
J. P. Grossman, William A. Kellogg, 
Thomas Bradley, Alonzo Wheeler, John 
Henry, Aaron Decker, James E. 
Wixon, Fletcher Pierce, John F. Love- 
joy, Jarvis Kellogg, Edward E. Pelton, 
M. W. Robinson, Bradley B. Baker, 
Edward M. Lees, Chas. H .Olmstead, 
Peter R. Foot. 

UPTON POST — NEW MILFORD. 

Joseph C. Wiley, J. F. Williams 
J. Titus, Peter Peterson, David E. 
Soule, N. H. Root, Henry Kinney, Dan- 
iel, G. Marshall, S. R. Hill, L. W. 
Mosher, G. W. Anthonv, C. A. Way, 
M. A. Strong, W. H. Dougal, David 
W. Konwles, W. W. Whitlock, Rev. 
Henry Upson. 




JAMES B. TRACY, 
Sen. Vice Com. Merriam Post, G. A. R. 

TRUMBULL POST — SOUTHINGTON. 

Chas. H. Johnson, Chas. H. Clark, 
A. J. Brothcrton, Levi Andrews, Geo. 
W. Edwards. Stephen Walklev, Chas. 
A. Keves, Wm. L. Ames, S. E. Whit- 
ing. Thos. C. Hancock, Thos. Walker, 
Dwight W. Clark, James V. Johnson, 



126 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



William S. Ward, W. F. Toelles, J. 
A. Brooks, Robert Smith, Enoch Nich- 
ols, G. A. Ely. 

ADMIRAL POST — NEW HAVEN. 

Thos. E. Benedict, Geo. G. Reynolds, 
Geo. W. Dadmun, Virgil F. McNeil, A. 
C. Hendrick, N. Easterbrook, T. E. 
Worthington, Fred G. Hastings, Geo. 
A. Tucker, James A. Church, Hy. A. 
Peck, Lawrence O'Brien, William H. 
Nichols, Geo. A. Barrett, N. T. Bur- 
lingame, Wm. H. Warren, John N. 
Leonard, Wm H. Huntley, Henry T. 
Mix, Wm. E. Whittelsey, David Ask- 
ley, T. P. Dickinson. Wm. L. Benton, 
Wallace Hurlburt, Nathan B. Hoyt, 
Frank D. Sloat, Wm. H. Pierpont, Rob- 
ert R. Russell, David C. Monson, Wil- 
bur F. Gray, Wm. F. Smith, David R. 
Adams, Fred H. Waldron, Henry F. 
Peck, David W. Sharpe, Simeon J. Fox, 
James N. Coe, Lewis B. Brown, Edw. 
E. Tisdale, Wm. E. Morgan, Edward 
Coe, Theron R. Hull, Jason D. Thomp- 
son, Chas. B. Foster, L. O. Lombard, 
Edwin C. Dow, Chas. Rawling, M. D., 
Fred S. Snow, Edward E. Sill, W. S. 
Isbell, David B. Horton, John M. 
Crowe, Andrew H. Embler, Lynde 
Harrison, Joel C. Page, Chas. F. Mar- 
vin, J. T. Hutchinson, M. D., J. H. 
Bilson, Jesse H. Rice, James Fenton. 

JAS. E. MOORE AND NELSON WHITE POST 



John W. Landegon, Albert A. Scott. 
Chas. H. White, David H. Miller, W. 
H. Hitchcock, Christian Quein, Mar- 
cus Comstock, Joel G. Foster, N. Bur- 
ton Rogers, Ira R. Wildman, P. C. 
Lounsbury, Hiram Davis, Charles F. 
Brown, Wm. E. Craig, James S. Mc- 
CuUom. L. Beach Clark, Chas. F. Mc- 
Han, Thos. McCorkle, Chas. H. Hoyt, 
Lewis Carley, Walter M. Phillips, Wm. 
A. Cougle, Charles Bailey, Sydna A. 
Smith, Willis J. Mallory, Edwin R. 
Gilbert. 

HOBWE POST — STAMFORD. 

George O. Bliss, Elias E. Palmer, 
Lewis W. Scofield, James Halpin, Wil- 
liam H. Crabb, John L. Jessup, Bannis- 
ter H. Jones, George W Toms, Geo. 
M. Sinclair, Charles J. Brown, William 
S. Taylor, Geo. W. Olmstead, Elah 
Ballard, Edw. A. Williams, Matthias J. 
Barron, George W. Fowler, John H. 
Brown, William H. Banks, John Bir- 
mingham. 



LOMBARD POST — GREENWICH. 

Silas E. Mead, Wm. H. Bailey, Si- 
mon J. Davis, E. S. Peck, Benjamin 
Wright, Isaac S. Mead, Joshua Lyon, 
Thomas A. Haight, N . L. Husted, 
Thomas P. Hunt. 

MATHER POST — DEEP RIVER. 

Harry Epright, Willoughby A. Hull, 
Charles Silliman, J. W. Bailey, Daniel 
M. Damon, George B. French, Joseph 
S. Lynde, John Hanscom. 

KELLOGG POST — DERBY. 

S. O. Dwinell, Henry Spencer, J. A 
Conklin, James Ewen, Dennis Crowe, 
J. A. Conklin, F. W. Curtiss, David 
Torrance, W. H. Ford, S. E. Chaffee, 
S. G. Blakeman, Andrew Dean, Sam- 
uel Miller, George H. Crook, C. M. 
Scranton, C. E. Hawkhurst, A. W. Phil- 
lips, E. W. Peck, D. F. Lynch, Edward 
Davis, D W Hager, Thomas J. Chad- 
eayne, Chris. Dolan, James Forbes, C. 

E. Huntington, Charles Rowell. 

m'gREGOR POST — DANIELSON. 

Charles A. Potter. William N. Ar- 
nold, William C. Sherman, Vine R. 
Franklin, Benjamin E. Rapp, Henry 

F. Clark, S. M. Woodward, Theodore 
D. Pond. 

FRANCIS S. LONG POST — WILLIMANTIC. 

Earl S. Cranston, John J. Brierly, 
William H. Buckingham, William F. 
Gates, Charles Clark, Charles H. Cole- 
grove, Samuel Miller, Benajah E. 
Smith, Elisha C. Boden, J. Dwight 
Willis, Thomas Handley, George A. 
Murdock, Jerome B. Baldwin, Arthur 
P. Benner, Frank S. Shaffer, Andrew 
W. Loomis, Charles Fenton, Luke 
Flynn, William C. Lyman, Thomas Ash- 
ton, William C. Rarbison, Rainsford P. 
Williams, John Bolles, Henry F. Royce, 
James Haggerty. 

PALMER POST — WINSTED. 

Samuel U. Brewer, A. J. Miller, 
James Baker, William A. Currie, Al- 
bert Dugal, Samuel B. Home, Chas. 
L. Hewitt, Georgt L. Andrews, B. F. 
Marsh, S. V. Beckwith, George M. Van 
Ostrem, Geo. C. Hagar, R. C. Kemp, 
John F. Simmons, H. B. Morse, John 
N. Lyman, William Schultz, E. S. 
Beecher. 

L. M. STEELE POST — TORRINGTON. 

William W. Davis, Thomas J. Hub- 
bard, Frederick O. Hills, E. T. Mil- 
ler, William H. McCarthy, F. G. Alldis. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



127 



C. H. Lockwood, William Spittle, E. 
L. Steele, A. Gray, A. Wilman. 

ARTHUR H. DUTTON POST — WALLINGFORD. 

John Upham, W. H. Rawson. Chas. 
E. Smith, Arthur L. Post, William F. 
Lane, William N. Mix. C. A. Harrison, 
L. A. Northrop, John S Parker, M. W. 
Tattle, Silas L. Hall, David Ross, Ja- 
cob Joab, P. M. Twitchell, E. L. Weld. 




WILBUR W. HART, 
Officer of Day, Merriam Post, G. A. R. 

GEORGE VAN HORN POST — MILFORD. 

Albert A. Porter, Joseph R. Clark, 
Charles W. Baldw^in, Joel C. Smith, C. 
O. Isbell, Edwin B. Baldwin, E. Van 
Horn, Wallace S. Chase, George W. 
Coy, Albert C. Tibbals, Nelson L. 
Stowe, Henrv E. Tucker, Roger S. 
Baldwin, Frederick Cornwall, Willis S. 
Oviatt, Caleb Smith. 

UPSON POST — SEYMOUR. 

Wilbur W. Smith, W. S. Cooper, 
Henry Duester, Rufus J. Spencer, 
James E. Buckley. John H. Riggs, Rob- 
ert Healev, H. S. Chamberlain, John 
W. DeForest, Zera B. Davis, Herbert 
C Baldwin, George L. Bartlett. 

PARMELEE POST GUILFORD. 

Samuel J. Griswold, Hart Landon, 
William F. Isbell, A. W. Morse, Chas. 



Griswold, L. O. Chittenden, A. G. Som- 
mer, J. W. Oughton, E. R. Davis, Fran- 
cis Beattie, Alexander E. Ingraham, 
William H. Lee. 

ISBELL POST — NAUGATUCK. 

Chas. C. Chipman, Michael Cronan, 
William Moyer, Josiah Coleman, Amos 
Werts, ]\lichael P. Coen, Horace E. 
Jones, T. J. Northrop, F. S. Nichols, 
N. S .Wilmot, Miner S. Baldwin, R. 
W. Lewis, Seth D. Bingham, D. D. 
Gibbud, John Noble. 

WINSTED POST — STAFFORD SPRINGS. 

Anthony Adams, A. H. Simonds, A. 
L. Howard, John S. Arnold, John Mc- 
Carthy, Reuben J. Burley, G. B. Marble, 
A. N. Nichols. 





WILLIAM F. HILTON, 
Department Chaplain G. A. R. 

BYRON D. SMITH POST — VOLUNTOWN. 

William A. Weeks, Joseph O. Cross, 
Alfred A. Davis, Dexter A. Johnson, 
Jared A Gallup, William A. Wicks, 
Orin S. Rix, Simon Brown, Joseph E. 
Bacon, George H. Lamphier, Asel 
Youngs. 

CUSTER POST — SANDY HOOK. 

Ephraim D. Briscoe, Charles E. Haw- 
ley, Edward Toy, Charles M. Parsons, 



128 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Henrv B. Coger, William B. Sniffen, 
Albert W. Peck. 

W. W. PERKINS POST — NEW LONDON. 

John S. Noland, Lafayette W. Starr, 
S. G. Jerome, Englebert J. Santer, Jas. 
M. Carrol, Charles H. Niles, George 
Havens. John C. Bliss, John C. Nich- 
olds, H. B. Smith, C. M. Monroe, B. 
F,, Gates, E. N. Crocker, Fred Gallup, 
J. M. Bacon, W. S. Davies, Francis 
Bracken. 

DOUGLAS FOWLER POST — SO. NORWALK. 

Charles F. Hallock, James L'Hom- 
medieu, John W. Craw, James L. Rus- 
sell, Oscar St. John, Frederick Keating, 
C. Wood, Samuel Mott, H. E. Wing, 
James W. Davis, Hiram F. Brundage, 
William A. Hendricks, Thomas Mc- 
Quillan, Stephen R. Wilcox, H. D. 
Perry. 

WADHAMS POST — WATERBURY. 

George Robbins, Levi H. Toucey, 
Andrew Winter, Edgar W. Calhoun, 
John Higgins, Homer F. Northrop, 
Charles J. Bromberg, Harrison Whit- 
ney, Oscar W. Cornish, John M. Galla- 
gher, George L. Piatt, John S. Hayes, 
William E. Quigley, E. A. Pendleton, 
John S. Stevens, Chauncey Seeley, 
William Melton Imri A. Spencer, John 
T. Egan, Frederick Korngiebel, Mi- 
chael Kavanaugh. 

ROBERT 0. TYLER POST — HARTFORD. 

Edmund D. Riley, W. H. Shaffer, 
Henry C. Storrs, Francis B. Allen, Nor- 
man L. Hope, Charles W. Emerson, 
Fred H. Williams, E. H. Lane, W. E. 
Cone. C. H. Hills, William Huntington, 
Charles J. Fuller, Franklin Dart, John 
H. Thacher, Charles W. Clark. John 
G. Root, John N. Wilsev, Henry F. 
Hart, Adrian P. Sloan. Sidney M. Glad- 
win, John S. Stannard, John W. Long- 
don, Francis A. Cummings, Horace P. 
Fox, Henry E. Babcock, C. W. Driscoll, 
Julius Weed, Henrv W. Burrill, George 
R. Bodge, H. C. Dwight, James B. Mc- 
Namar, Lewis W. Smith. 

HENRY C. MERWIN POST — NEW HAVEN. 

Philip Ryan, Thomas Murley Timo- 
try Rafter, Philip Ryan, James F. Bran- 
nagan, John Garrity, William Gleason, 
John J. Brennan. 

MANSFIELD POST — MIDDLETOWN. 

Curtis C. Atwell, Joseph J. Noxon, 
Frederick M .Sizer. Charles A. Pelton, 
Michael Lucey, William J. Chadsey, A. 
B. Robinson, George Washington, Ed- 



win Bywater, F. D. Brewster, James 
H. Osborn, Michael S. Dunn, Henry R. 
Young, Thomas M. Durfee, H. Oscar 
Shailer, Albert O. Reed, George Har- 
rison, Alex G. Bethel, Theodore A. 
Sage, Levi Jewett, John C. Fisher, A. 
J. Mallory, Delmar R. Lowell, Charles 
A. Appel. 

A. G. WARNER POST — PUTNAM. 

C. M. Green, Joseph McKachnie, 
Horace H. Pierce, Oscar Tourtelotte, 
George L. Prentice, James Miller, C. 
W. Grosvenor, A. A. Buchanan, Henry 
W. Johnson, Samuel K. Spalding, Jo- 
seph E. Rawson, Chauncey Morse, G. 
D. Bates. G. A. Hammond, Caleb Blan- 
chard, Newton S. Phillips, H. T. 
Stearns. 

WILLIAMS POST — MYSTIC. 

George W. Keigwin, Nelson Mozyer, 
F. B. Mavo. J. G. Packer, R. J. Wil- 
bur, J. K." Bucklyn, P A. Irons, J. W. 
Poole, Horace Clift, R. S. Watrous, 
Charles Bennett. 

SAMUEL BROWN POST — THOMPSONVILLE. 

Jabez P. Davis, N. S. Cole, William 
A. Raymond, R. E. Abbe, C. M. Pom- 
eroy, Lyman A. Upson, Jonathan Mil- 
ler," Andrew Gordon. T. M. Benton, N. 
P. Palmer, F. E. Hastings, John Mc- 
Cready. Abraham Cope, Hiram Old- 
royd, C. F. Til den, George C. Howe. 

NEWTON S. MANROSS POST — FORESTVILLE. 

M. H. Tvler, J. F. Douglass, Henrv 
W. Buys, Henrv W. Porter, H. P. 
Woodard, R. A. Potter, Henry Fry, M. 
H. Barnard, George W. Atkins, John 
W. Gray, Abel Griswold. E. C. Wil- 
liams, John Talmage, Martin W. Fris- 
bie, John J. Lloyd, M. A. Potter, S. M. 
Shelton, William E. Bunnell. 

0. H. KNIGHT POST — LAKEVILLE. 

J. J. Traver, George Frink, C. H. 
Ball, W. .B. Peabody, W. C. Lemley, 
Thomas L. Norton, H. L. Ayres, C. A. 
Hollister, P. Turner. H. H. Mason, E. 
F. Sanford. George Cook. George Frink, 
M. H. Sackett, Moses Lyman. 

JOHN M. GREGORY POST — SHARON. 

Charles C. Dean. L Butler, A. C. 
Slover, Charles H. Cadwell, A. C An- 
drews, W^illiam Connor, W. W. Knight, 
L. Van Alstyne, G. W. Studley. 

D. S. COWLES POST — CANAAN. 

Milton J. Kilmer. James E. Green, 
James Reel. Wm. R. Weddle. George 
W. Schovell. Albert P. Briggs. Ed- 
ward S. Roberts, H. Schermerhorn, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



129 



Milton J. Kilmer, George L. Parsons, 
T. L. Sackett, H. P. Morse, E. D. 
Norton. 

SAMUEL p. FERRIS POST — NEW CANAAN. 

Israel Wood, Andrew F Jones, 
Looniis Scofield, William A. Havi- 
land, Norbert Bossa, Francis E. 
Weed, Dewitt C. Ruscoe, Isaac A. Lee, 




W M \ KL\(. 

Attorney General State of Conn. 

Charles L. Barton, John T. Fancher, 
Charles Veitenheimer, Wm. I. Brant, 
Charles W. Hall, Frederick Bauzhof, 
John W. Bell, C. H. Demeritt. 

A. E. BURNSIDE POST UNIONVILLE. 

A. J. Brewer, George S. Booth, John 
Scantlin. S. N. Wadsworth. R. H. Rust, 
J. T. Ball, Charles Brandegee, J. W. 
Curtiss, James R. Jenkins, T. B. 
Brooks. 

HARRY m'dONOUGH POST — WESTPORT. 

(Charter surrendered January I, 1905.) 

D. C. RODMAN POST — EAST HARTFORD. 

Elias Dickenson, Henry A. Bradley, 
John F. Arnold, Francis PL Graham, 
John F. Whaples, L. Cotton, A. G. 
Olmsted, E. J. Carroll. D. C. Clark, C. 
M. Hills, George A. Starks, C. A. Les- 
ter, Charles A. Rhodes, W. H. Brewer, 

9 



Josiah H. Smith, J. F. Arnold, Elihu 
Olmsted, C. S. Roberts, George Teed. 

JOHN M. MORRIS POST — WETHERSFIELD. 

Frederick W. Smith, Wm. B. De- 
Bloise, H. J. Mildrum, H. A. Tyler, E. 
G. Woodhouse, Thomas N. Hammer, 
Stephen Morgan, George W. Adams, 
W. J. Stevenson, Henrv J. Lankton, Al- 
len W. Hale, F. W. S'mith, Eugene F. 
Atwood. 

J. H. CONVERSE POST — WINDSOR LOCKS. 

Wm. E. Brown, George Glover, John 
Young, Charles A. Porter, Jeremiah 
Lynch, A. W. Converse, Henry M. 
Adams, Eleazer Cook. 

C. L. RUSSELL POST — THOMASTON. 

John N. Watrous, Wm. H. Alford, 
Marshall Grilley, Robert G. Hassard, 
Charles E. Morse, John J. Fischer, Jul- 
ian F. Watrous, Henry Ploucquet, Da- 
vid A. Bradley. 




JAMES R. SLOAXE, 
Com. IMerriam Post, G. A. R. 

BURPEE POST — ROCKVILLE. 

E. F. Loveland. AnthonV Stevens, 
William Mann. Willard Griswold, A. B. 
Parker, L. D. Phelps. Thomas S. Pratt, 
Charles W. Wood, James Baxter, 
H. H. Doyle, John Hirst, D. F. An- 



i-?o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



drews, B. L. Burr, S. K. Ellis, W. D. 
Emerson, A. Park Hammond, Wm. H. 
Loomis, T. A. Lake, Charles W. Marsh, 
Julius H. Newell, Wm. J. Noad, John 
A. Ogden. 

CHAPMAN POST — WESTBROOK. 

D. W. Grosvenor, Charles McVee, 
Zadoc E. Morgan, S. Leander Stev- 
ens, Carlos H. Chapman, H. D. Red- 
field, Geo. Kirtland, Wm. G. Bushnell. 

T. M. REDSHAW POST — ANSONIA. 

A. P. Kirkham, Charles S Totten. 
George B. Bissbee, J. H. Olin, E. O. 
Hill, B. A. Cramer, Charles French, 
George W .Goodall, S. M. Blair, Chas. 
H. Hayes, H. M. Brown, Wm. E. Cur- 
tiss, George Lyon, C. R. Buckingham, 
J. D. Hotchkiss, John E Reamer, Clark 
H. Davis. 

GEN. VON STEINWEHR POST — NEW HAVEN. 

Chris. Rothhaar, Fred. Brill, Fred. 
Ruden, John Aarens, L Oppertshauser, 
Charles Staude, John Schenk, H Hoflf- 
meister. 

JAS. B. KILBOURNE POST — CENTRAL VILLAGE 

J. P. Pellett, Wm. Dean, Wm. Sim- 
mons. 

EDWIN R. LEE POST — NEW HARTFORD. 

Weston Barnes, Martin Wilcox, 
Charles Wilson, Oliver J. Tuttle, Henry 
R. Jones, Jacob Weidmer, J. Nelson 
Brown, William Case, J. Jay Cushman, 
Grove Fanning, Anson W. Bristol, Jo- 
siah Woodbury, J. Manchester. 

T. G. BROWN POST — CHAPLIN. 

Harvey Whitmore, Charles Henry, 
John A. Lawton, Darwin Bead, Eber 



Harris, Albert L. Church, Wm. Dor- 
rance, Darwin Tracy, E. M. Russell, 
David S. Weaver, P. S. Richards, H. 
H. Converse, T. L. Neff, Thomas W. 
Hewlings. 

SETH F. PLUME POST — LITCHFIELD. 

S. A. Whittlesey, Patrick Herbert, 
George W. Mason, Anson W. Healey, 
S. M. Griswold, A. B. Shumway, L. D. 
Leonard, John Q. Ames, Charles Merri- 
man, Wm. H. Plumb, C. W Hinsdale, 
George W Newcomb, D. C. Kilbourn, 
Edgar A. Alvord, H. R. Stockbridge. 

HANCOCK POST — WESTERLY, R. I. 

Walter Price, Wm. F. Hawkins, 
Amos P. Chapman, A. N. Crandall, 
Abel Babcock, Judson N. Crandall, 
Charles H. Holdredge, Frank E. Rich, 
Joshua M. Clark, Wm. H. Burdick, F. 
T. Brightman, Nathan W. Lewis. 

J. F. TRUMBULL POST — STONINGTON. 

Charles T. Stanton, Orson C. Rogers, 
Charles O. Browning, E. H. Sheffield, 
B. Frank Tracy, Jerome S. Anderson, 
Charles Holts, George E. Brayton. 

H. W. KINGSBURY POST — OLD LYME. 

(Charter surrendered January i, 1905.) 

WM. T. MINOR POST — STAMFORD. 

Stephen Smith, Alfred C. Arnold, 
Alex G. Gourley, Robert Kerr, Robert, 
Bunten, William H. Ritch, E. B. Law- 
rence, Samuel A. Wood, Charles E. 
Seeley, George V. Wood, Samuei M. 
Bouton, Samuel Fessenden, George B. 
Christison, Solomon Close, S. L. Sco- 
field, Henry Huss. 



SKETCH OF GRAND ARMY. 



The history of the Grand Army of 
the Republic is one of inspiring inter- 
est. The details concerning its incep- 
tion, few in number, disclose with elo- 
quence and force the comradeship that 
united the Union armies through the 
Civil war. The first steps toward or- 
ganizing the veterans throughout the 
country in a common Grand Army of 
the Republic were taken at Springfield, 
111., in March, 1866. Surgeon B. F. 
Stephenson and Chaplain W. J. Rut- 
ledge, of the Fourteenth Illinois In- 
fantry, originators of the Grand Army 
idea, conferred with a few comrades in 



Springfield concerning the adoption of 
plans. The first post in the United 
States was organized at Decatur, 111., 
April 6, 1866, Surgeon Stephenson mus- 
tering in the members and granting a 
charter. The first department en- 
campment was held in Springfield, July 
12, 1866 and the first national encamp- 
ment was held at Indianapolis, Ind., in 
November of that year. Surgeon 
Stephenson acted as provisional com- 
mander. At this first national en- 
campment S. A. Hurlbut was elected 
commander-in-chief. The second na- 
tional encampment was held in Phil- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



131 



adelphia, January 15, 1868. At this en- 
campmeut, which marked the crucial 
period in the history of the Grand 
Army, General John A. Logan was 
elected national commander and Gen- 
eral Joseph R. Hawley, junior vice 
commander. The selection of Gener- 
als Logan and Hawley for these posi- 
tions placed the Grand Army on a 
solid footing and ensured the magnifi- 
cent success that has attended its ca- 
reer. In addition to General Hawley, 
who died March IS, 1905, Connecticut 
has had three junior vice commanders- 
in-chief, Charles L Buckbee, of New 
Haven, who died November 5, 1896, 
Ira E. Hicks, of New Britain, and 
Francis B. Allen, of Hartford. 

CONN. DEPARTMENT ORGANIZED. 

The organization of the Connecticut 
department of the Grand Army took 
place in Hartford, April 11, 1867. At 
the beginning of 1867 General Edward 
Harland, of Norwich, and Colonel 
Hiram • B. Crosby, also of Norwich, 
were made members of the Grand 
Army, being "initiated into the new 
order" by Colonel Russ C. Hawkins, 
of the Hawkins Zouaves, of New York 
city. On returning to Connecticut 
General Harland and Colonel Crosby 
became apostles of the new faith, hav- 
ing comradeship and loyalty for its 
foundation, and inaugurated steps to- 
wards permanent organization. Eight 
veterans of the war were mustered in 
at the start. Hartford was visited 
and upwards of a dozen more men 
were mustered informally. April 11, 
1867, the first convention of the or- 
der was held in Hartford, delegates 
from different sections of the state 
taking part in the deliberations. At 
this convention General Harland, of 
Norwich, was elected department com- 
mander. Edward W. Whitaker, of 
Hartford, senior vice commander, 
Charles L. Upham, of Meriden, junior 
vice commander, Bela P. Learned, of 
Norwich, assistant adjutant general, 
and Charles M. Coit, of Norwich as- 
sistant quartermaster general. The 
members of the First Council of Ad- 
ministration were Thomas J. Gilbert, 
of New Haven; Edward J. Rice, of 
Waterbury; Major Henry C. Dwight, 
of Hartford: John Thompson, of Mid- 
dletown, and Colonel William H. No- 
ble, of Bridgeport. The department 
was divided into four districts, corre- 



sponding with the congressional dis- 
tricts in territory. General Theodore 
G. Ellis, of Hartford, was placed in 
command of the First district; Colonel 
Charles L. Upham, of the Second; 
Colonel Hiram B. Crosby, of the Third, 
and Colonel William H. Noble, of the 
Fourth district. 

ORIGINAL OFFICERS LIVING. 

An order was issued by the national 
department, February 29, 1868, abolish- 
ing the Grand Army districts and the 
posts of the state department assumed 
number and rank in accordance with 
the date of muster. This placed Mer- 
riam post No. 8 in line. Of the or- 
iginal officers of the department Gen- 
eral Harland, of Norwich; Colonel 
Charles L. Upham, of Meriden; Assist- 
ant and Adjutant General Bela P. 
Learned, of Norwich, and General 
Henry C. Dwight, of Hartford are still 
living. General Harland graduated 
from Yale college in the famous class 
of 1853 and took up the legal profes- 
sion, which he has pursued for half a 
century. He commanded Harland's 
Brigade at Antietam and Fredericks- 
burg, which was composed at Antietam 
of the Eighth and Eleventh Connecti- 
cut, the Fourth Rhode Island, and the 
Sixteenth Connecticut regiments. The 
Twenty-first Connecticut was subse- 
quently incorporated in the brigade. 

GEN. EDWARD HARLAND. 

General Harland was a beloved gen- 
eral officer in the old Ninth corps and 
has retained the admiration and friend- 
ship of his men since the war. In 
1869 he represented Norwich in the 
General Assembly, the Hon. O. H. Piatt 
being speaker of the House at that 
time. In 1870 he was a member of 
the Senate from the old Eighth district. 
He has been a member of the Board of 
Pardons since its organization. His 
present term will not be concluded un- 
til the first Monday in June, 1907. Gen- 
eral Harland is one of Connecticut's 
most honored citizens. 

LIVING PAST COMMANDERS. 

There are eighteen past department 
commanders now living. They are 
General Wm. E. Disbrow, of Bridge- 
port, who was quartermaster general 
on the staff of Governor George E. 
Lounsbury; George S. Smith, of Nor- 
wich; Judge Alfred B. Beers, of 



1^2 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 







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I — I 

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CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



^33 



Bridgeport; General Prank D. Sloat, 
of Washington, D. C; General Sam- 
uel B. Home, of Winsted, who was a 
member of Governor P. C. Louns- 
bury's staff; Benajah iS. Smith, of 
Willimantic; Wilbur i<\ Rogers, of 
Meriden; Selah G. BlaKeman, of Bir- 
mingham; John M. Brewer, of Hart- 
ford; Oscar W. Cornisn, of Water- 
bury; G. D. Bates, of Putnam; Henry 
R. Jones, of New Harrrord; Thomas 
Boudren, of Bridgeport; N. Burton 
Rogers, of Danbury; United States 
Senator Morgan G. Bulkeley and Wil- 
liam C. Hillard, of Bristol. 

THE HONORED DEAD. 

Fifteen department, commanders 
have died. The list comprises the 
names of General Theodore G. Ellis, 
of Hartford; William H. Mallory, of 
Bridgeport; General L,. a. Dickinson, 
of Hartford; Charles J. Buckbee, of 
New Haven; Frank G. Otis, of Meri- 
den; Charles E. Fowler, of New Ha- 
ven; Isaac B. Hyatt, of Meriden; 
William Berry, of Hartford; John T. 
Crary, of Norwich; Judge Henry E. 
Taintor, of Hartford; William H. 
Pierpont, of New Haven; John C. 
Broatch, of Middletown; Henry N. 
Fanton, of Danbury; William Edgar 
Simonds, of Hartford, and John K. 
Bucklyn, of Mystic. Department Com- 
mander Frank G. Otis, of Meriden, 
died in office. He was buried with 
Grand Army honors, August 12, 1878. 
General E. S. Greeley, or New Haven, 
acted as marshal ana the bearers 
were General L. A. Dickinson, of 
Hartford; Captain Charies J. Buck- 
bee, of New Haven; James R. Sloane, 
of Hartford; W. F. Smith, of New 
Britain; Lieutenant Joseph Beach and 
Sergeant J. G. Farnham. The mili- 
tary escort was furnished by Com- 
pany I, Second regiment, Captain H. 
B. Wood commanding^. •I'he Rev. I. 
J. Lansing, of the Menaen Methodist 
church, officiated in the absence of 
the Rev. A. H. Hall, of the Corner 
Congregational churcti, who was the 
pastor of Commander Otis. He had 
been in office only six months. He 
was a man of Christian cnaracter and 
life. He had served with honor in 
the army and had lost an arm at Ap- 
pomattox. 



Department Commander Hyatt, of 
Meriden, whose death occurred a few 
weeks ago, was an able and success- 
ful Grand Army leader, and the order 
under his administration in 1883 
largely increased its membership 
Commander Hyatt was chief of the 
Meriden fire department at the time 
of his death, and deservedly popular 
in his field of activity. 

BROTHERS WERE COMMANDERS. 

In one case in the history of the 
Grand Army in Connecticut brothers 
have risen to the rank of department 
commander. This distinction has fall- 
en to the lot of Wilbur riske Rogers, 
of Meriden, who was at the head of the 
department in 1893, and N. Burton 
Rogers, of Danbury, wno was depart- 
ment commander in 1902. Past De- 
partment Commander Rogers, of Mer- 
iden, was born in Saybrook, July 18, 
1841, being the son of Elam Hervey 
Rogers. He was living in New York 
when the war began. He enlisted in 
the Fourth New YorK, which was 
known as the Scott Life Guard. All 
of the officers of the regiment had 
served in the Mexican war. The date 
of his enlistment was April 17, 1861. 
He was in the battle at Big Bethel, 
and was at Antietam, Fredericksburg 
and Chancellorsville. The regiment 
volunteered to go into the battle of 
Chancellorsville, notwithstanding the 
fact that its time had expired. It was 
mustered out May 5, ls63, and on Its 
return to New York was given the 
honor of a review by General Scott. 
Commander Rogers re-enlisted in the 
Thirty-fifth New Jersey Zouaves, and 
served until the end of the war, tak- 
ing part in Sherman's March to the 
Sea and the Grand Review in Wash- 
ington. He was a sergeant in both 
regiments. He is a prominent citizen 
of Meriden. and has taken an influen- 
tial part in public life. He is a mem- 
ber of the Army and Navy club, of 
Connecticut, and belongs to the Sons 
of the American Revolution. In 1880 
he was on the staff of National Com- 
mander Wagner, and was a delegate 
in 1886 to the national encampment at 
St. Louis. He was married January 
1, 18 67, to Mary Jane Corbin, niece of 
Philip Corbin, of New Britain. At that 



134 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



time, sbe was teaching in the Meri- 
den schools. The children are Bur- 
ton Cephas Rogers, secretary of the 
Connecticut Telephone company, of 
Meriden, and Zula Elizabeth Rogers, 
who was a teacher for six years in the 
Meriden High school. Department 
Commander Rogers was in the silver 
plating business in Meriaen from Feb- 
ruary 16, 186G, until January 1, 1903, 
when his firm was sold out to the In- 
ternational Silver company. 

N. Burton Rogers, of Danbury, the 
brother of Wilbur F. Rogers, was de- 
partment commander In 1902. He was 
born in Saybrook, July 6, 1848, and 
was educated at the Russell Military 
school in New Haven. He was a 
drummer boy in the Seventh Connec- 
ticut regiment. He is a member of 
the Danbury post of the Grand Army, 
and of the Army and Navy club of 
Connecticut. He is president of the 
Rogers Silver Plate company, of Dan- 
bury, and is a man of superb business 
qualifications. He is widely known 
throughout the state. It was largely 
through his instrumentality that the 
Danbury State Normal school was es- 
tablished. 

MEN OF PROMINENCE. 

The department commanders in 
this state have been men of promi- 
nence in politics and business. Mor- 
gan G. Bulkeley holds the oflSce of 
United States senator from this state. 

William Edgar Simonds was speak- 
er of the House, congressman from the 
First district and United States com- 
missioner of patents. 

Judge Alfred B. Beers, of Bridge- 
port, is president of the Soldiers' 
Hospital board, and General Frank D. 
Sloat has been state comptroller. 

Ira E. Hicks is postmaster at New 
Britain, and John M. Brewer is con- 
nected with the internal revenue de- 
partment. 

Henry E. Taintor was judge advo- 
cate general on the staff of National 
Commander Lucius Fairchild, of Wis- 
consin in 1886. 

General Samuel B. Home has held 
the office of United States consul at 
Hayti. 

Selah G. Blakeman has been a mem- 
ber of the General Assembly. 



Henry R. Jones is on the retired list 
in the regular army. 

Isaac B. Hyatt had been a member 
of the General Assembly from Meri- 
den. 

G. D. Bates, of Putnam, is one of the 
leading men of Windham county and 
deserving in every way of the public 
honors that have been bestowed upon 
him. 

POSTS AND MEMBERSHIP. 

At the present time there are sixty- 
two posts in th.e state department. 
Joseph R. Toy post, of Simsbury, sur- 
rendered its charter January 1 of this 
year. 

The total membership is 3,900 in 
round numbers. 

The silver anniversary of the Grand 
Army was celebrated at the state en- 
campment in Danbury, February 9, 
1892, Henry N. Fanton, of Danbury, 
was department commander. The 
event was signalized by the presence 
of the national commander-in-chief, 
General John Palmer, of Albany, N. Y. 

The Connecticut department reached 
its high water mark in 1890. The 
total membership was 6,946, and the 
amount expended in relief that year 
was $10,596.87. This was under the 
administration of Department Com- 
mander John C. Broatch, of Middle- 
town. The membership was kept up 
in excess of 6,000 until 1896, when it 
dropped to 5,930. 

CHARITY EXPENDITURES. 

From 1887 until 1904 inclusive, the 
amount expended for charity by the 
Grand Army posts in the department 
was $128,605.86. The amount of relief 
funds reached the highest figure in 
1888, the total that year being $65,- 
760.19. The amount at the end of 
1904 was $41,890.65. 

The membership in 1904 had dropped 
down to 3,936. 

The work of the Connecticut depart- 
ment is deserving of the highest admir- 
ation and praise. The posts have 
liberally provided for the sick and des- 
titute among the veterans and cared 
for the widow and fatherless. It has 
performed a beneficent work in its 
own way and in keeping with the true 
principles of comradeship. 

COL. CHAS. L. UPHAM. 

The first junior vice commander of 
the Connecticut department, Colonel 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



135 



Charles L. Upham, is an honored citi- 
zen of, Meriden. He served through 
the Civil war in the Eighth and Fif- 
teenth Connecticut regiments. He 
commanded the Sixteenth at the bat- 
tle of Fredericksburg, wearing at the 
time the shoulder straps of a captain 
of infantry. He was made lieutenant 
colonel of the Eighth in March, 1863, 
and was placed in command of the 
Fifteenth, succeeding Colonel Dexter 
R. Wright, of New Haven. After- 
wards he was made colonel of the reg- 
iment and was its chief officer through 
the balance of the war. Colonel Up- 
ham was a man of undaunted courage 
in the field, and a man of the most 
attractive personality. He was vice 
president of the Army and Navy club, 
of Connecticut, in 1879 and 1882, and 
president in 1884. His first vice presi- 
dency of the organization was under 
General Hariand, his old commander 
in the Virginia campaign. 

ASST. ADJ. GEN. LEARNED. 

The first assistant adjutant general, 
Bela P. Learned, of Norwich, was in 
the First Connecticut Heavy Artillery 
in the war. He is the private secre- 
tary of vjcneral Hariand and is a man 
of admirable character. 

GEN. H. C. DWIGHT. 

General Henry C. Dwight, of Hart- 
ford, who was a member of the First 
Council of Administration, served in 
the Twenty-seventh Massachusetts in- 
fantry, and has been president of the 
Regimental association twenty-five 
years. He has been mayor of Hart- 
ford and was on the staff of Governor 
Henry B. Harrison, of New Haven. 

REV. H. C. TRUMBULL. 

The Rev. H. Clay Trumbull, of Hart- 
ford, whose death took place in Phila- 
delphia within a couple of years, was 
the first chaplain of the department. 
His Civil war service was in the Tenth 
Connecticut. He was a loyal repre- 
sentative of the Grand Army through 
the whole of his life and a devoted 
friend of the Civil war veterans. 

ROLL OF HONOR. 

Permanent membership in the en- 
campment is a badge of honor. It is 
held by some of the ablest and most 
representative men in the state. This 
roll of honor comprises the names of 
Chief Justice Torrance, General Har- 
iand, of the State Board of Pardons, 



United States Senator Bulkeley, Judge 
Lynde Harrison, of New Haven, the 
Hon. Samuel Fessenden, General Eras- 
tus Blakeslee, of Boston, Judge A. B. 
Beers, of Bridgeport, D. C. Kilbourn, 
clerk of the Litchfield County court, 
John G. Root, president of the Farmers 
and Mechanics National bank, of Hart- 
ford, Major Sidney M. Gladwin, treas- 
urer of the Army and Navy club of 
Connecticut, Wilbur F. Rogers, of Mer- 
iden, the Rev. Henry Upson, of New 
Preston, chaplain of the old Thir- 
teenth, General A. H. Embler, of New 
Haven, treasurer of the Southern New 
England Telephone company, General 
William E. Morgan, of New Haven, H. 
L. B. Pond, treasurer of the H. Wales. 
Lines company, the Hon. M. S. Chap- 
man, of Manchester, United States 
Marshal Ed.son E. Bishop, Colonel Wil- 
liam H. Tubbs, of New London, and 
General Henry C. Dwight, of Hart- 
ford. 

NUMBER OF PAST COMMANDERS. 

In round numbers there are 750 past 
post commanders in the department. 
There have been eighty-six posts of 
the Grand Army in ths state, since the 
beginning of the department in 1867. 
This includes the old Stedman post, of 
Hartford, which was disbanded more 
than thirty years ago. This post was 
named in honor of Colonel Griffin A. 
Stedman, of Hartford. 

DEPARTMENT OFFICERS. 

The department officers and official 
staff of the present time are: 

Commander — Albert A. May, Post 
8, Meriden. 

Senior vice commander — Franklin 
Ball, Post 13, Bristol. 

Junior vice commander — L. W. 
Scofield, Post 23, Stamford. 

Medical director — Dr. Levi Jewett, 
Post 53, Middletov/n. P. O. address. 
Cobalt. 

^aaplain — Wm. F. Hilton, Post 50, 
Hartford. 

OFFICI.^L STAFF. 

Assistant adjutant general — John H. 
Thacher, Post 50, Hartford. 

Assistant quartermasrer general — 
Wm. E. Morgan, Post 17, New Haven. 

Inspector — Wm. Ferguson, Post 4, 
South Manchester. 

Chief Mustering officer — L. A. 
Northrop, Post 36, Wallingford. 



136 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX. 




CENTENNIAL PARADE ON WEST MAIN STREET. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



^6/ 



Judge advocate — J. E. Simmons, 
Post 33, Winsted. 

Senior aide-de-camp — James R. 
Sloane, Post 8, Meriden. 

DEPT. COM. A. A. MAY. 

Department Commancer Albert A. 
May was elected at the state encamp- 
ment in Bristol, held June 6, 1905. He 
serveu with honor in the Civil war, 
being in twenty-seven battles from 
the first engagement at B\\\\ Run and 
'ending at the capitulation of Lee at 
Appomattox. He was wounded six 
times, and received a bayonet thrust 
in the nose at Falls Church, Va. At 
the battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 

1864, his right leg was shattered by a 
"bullet. Just before the capitulation 
tof General Lee he received two bullet 
wounds in the same leg. The remain- 
ing three bullet wounds were not of a 
(dangerous nature. Department Com- 
mander May enlisted in Company I, 
Second Vermont Infantry, in April, 
1861, and was mustered into the 
United States service, June 6, of that 
year. He was discharged, July 25, 

1865. He went to the front as g, 
private in Company I, and returned 
as first lieutenant in command of the 
'Company. He was only seventeen 
years of age at the time of his enlist- 
ment. He became a member of John 
A. Andrew post, of Boston, in April, 
1867. Afterwards he was a charter 
member and first junior vice com- 
mander of C. W. Carroll post, of Ded- 
ham, Mass. On removing from Ded- 
ham to Salem he transferred his 
membership to Phil H. Sheridan post, 
of that city. He removed to Meriden 
eleven years ago, and transferred to 
Merriam post. He was elected com- 
mander in December, 1899, and served 
in that capacity through the terms of 
1900 and 1901. He has been the adju- 
tant of the post since January, 1904. 
He is a member of the Army and Navy 
club of Connecticut. He is a past 
master of Liberty lodge, F .& A. M., 
of Beverly, Mass., and a member of 
Meridian lodge, of Meriden. He is 
engaged in the business of an under- 
taker, and belongs to the Funeral Di- 
rectors' association of Connecticut. 
Department Commander May was 

;born in Northfield, Vt., oelng the son 



of Houston May. He has been identi- 
fied with veteran interests in this 
state for a number of years, holding 
the office of judge advocate of the de- 
partment in 1904. His administra- 
tion of the department during the past 
year has refiected credit in every way 
and will rank him with the most effi- 
cient commanders that the depart- 
ment has had. 

MEDICAL DIRECTOR JEWETT. 

Medical Director Jewett and As- 
sistant Adjutant General John H. 
Thacher are old and trusted standbys 
in the department. Dr. Levi Jewett 
was medical director at the time of 
the silver anniversary in 1892, and 
the assistant adjutant general has 
been in office since 1887, receiving his 
original appointment from Depart- 
ment Commander Henry E. Taintor. 
Dr. Jewett was born in Griswold, in 
1835. and was educated at the State 
Normal school. He graduated from 
the New York Medical college in 
1857. He went to the war in 1862 as 
assistant surgeon of the Fourteenth 
Connecticut regiment, and was in 
most of the battles of the Army of the 
Potomac, from Antietam to the siege 
of Petersburg. He was severely 
wounded at the battle of Reams' Sta- 
tion. After that he was contract 
surgeon in the hospital department 
until the end of the war. He is a 
member of the Army and Navy club 
of Connecticut, and is a past com- 
mander of Mansfield post, of Middle- 
town. He is a member of the present 
General Assembly and was on the 
Committee on Military Affairs during 
the session of 1905. He was engaged 
in medical practice in New York city 
for a number of years, but retired in 
1883. He was married in 1857 to 
Mary Taylor, of Middle Haddam, and 
It is confidently hoped that his golden 
anniversary will be celebrated in 1907. 
Since his retirement from medical 
practice he has been engaged in li- 
brary and educational work. 

ASST. ADJ. GEN. TIIACHER. 

Assistant Adjutant General Thacher 
was born in Hartfora. October 29, 
1846, being the son of Sheldon P. 
Thacher, of the noted dry goods firm 
of Thacher, Goodrich & Stillman. Pro- 



138 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIUEN. 



lessor Thomas Thacher, of Yale col- 
lege, was his uncle. He was a mem- 
ber of Company G, of the Twentieth 
Connecticut, and served in the Army 
of the Potomac, the Army of the Cum- 
berland and the Army of the Tennes- 
see. He is a member of the Army and 
Navy club of Connecticut, and is a 
past commander of Robert O. Tyler 
post, of Hartford. He is also a mem- 
ber of Washington commandery. 
Knights Templar, of Hartford. Since 
October, 1870, he has neen connected 
with the Connecticut Fire Insurance 
company, and has been its cashier for 
years. He has long been a member of 
the committee on credentials in the 
National encampment. 

CHAPLAIN W. F. HILTON. 

The department chaplain, William 
F. Hilton, of Hartford, was educated 
at Girard college in Philadelphia. In 
the Civil war he served in the Twen- 
ty-third and One Hundred and Nine- 
ty-second Pennsylvania regiments. He 
has been a member of the clerical 
corps in the Phoenix Mutual Life In- 
surance company for many years. He 
was first appointed chaplain in 1903. 

CHIEF OF STAFF SLOANE. 

Department Commander May's chief 
of staff, James R. Sloane, is the pres- 
ent commander of Merriam post, of 
Meriden. He was born in Enfield, 
January 1, 1847, being the son of An- 
drew Sloane. He enlisted from Mer- 
iden in Company C, of the First Con- 
necticut Heavy Artillery, December 
23, 1853, and served until September 
25, 1865. He was in Grant's last cam- 
paign at Richmond and Petersburg. 
After the war he located in Hartford 
and became a member of Nathaniel 
Lyon post. He was one of the found- 
ers and first commanders of Brown 
post in Thompsonville. He returned 
to Meriden in 1883, and has taken an 
active part in business and politics in 
the city. He has served four years in 
the Council and two in the board of 
aldermen. At present he is a town 
auditor. He is cashier of the Charles 
Parker company, of Meriden, and is a 
man of slpendid business attainments. 
He is a member of Charter Oak lodge, 
of Odd Fellows in Hartford, and is 
state grand receiver of the Ancient 



Order of United Workmen. He has 
been married twice. His first wife 
was Sarah E. Hills, of Hartford. She 
died March 16, 1899, leaving five 
daughters and one son, all of whom 
are married. His second wife was 
Mrs. Mary E. Rodman, of Lynn, Mass., 
A^hom he married October 16, 1905. 

MERRI.\M POST, NO. 8. 

The Meriden Grand Army post, 
one of the oldest and most influential 
in the state department, was nanied 
in honor of Lieutenant Edwin J. 
Merriam of the Seventh Connecticut 
regiment, who died at Fortress Mon- 
roe from the effects of wounds re- 
ceived August 16, 1864, in the battle 
of Deep River, Va. The first meet- 
ing at which steps were taken 
towards organizing the post was held 
at the residence of Rev- Joseph J. 
Wooley in January, 1867. Mr. 
Wooley, who had ben a chaplain In 
the war, serving in the Eighth Con- 
necticut, was at the time of this 
meeting pastor of the Center Con- 
gregational church in Meriden. He 
was thoroughly in sympathy with 
the Grand Army movement which 
Vas the rapidly spreading through- 
out the west and north. Chaplain 
Wooley presided at the meeting and 
Lieutenant Heber S. Ives of the 
Seventh Connecticut was secretary. 
The first meeting for permanent or- 
ganization of the post was held at 
the armory of the Meriden Veteran 
guards in the Town hall, February 
1, 1867. 

An application for a charter was 
filled out and signed by Albert T. 
Booth, first lieutenant in the Eighth 
Connecticut, William H. Minchin, 
corporal Company F, Fifteenth C. 
v., Henry A. Kirtland, Heber S. 
Ives, lieutenant Seventh Connecticut 
infantry, Emerson O. Puffer, ser- 
geant Company D, Thirty-first Mass- 
achusetts, Norman S. Wood, color 
sergeant Seventh Connecticut, Fred 
H. Parker, Company K, Eighth C. V-, 
and George C. Geer, Company K, 
Eighth C. V. 

These vetrans became the charter 
members. The first officers of the 
post were elected at the meeting for 
permanent organization. Chaplain 
Wooley was made post commander. 
First Lieutenant N. Pomeroy Ives, 
senior vice commander; Emerson O. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



139 



Puffer, junior vice commander; 
Charles S- Gallager, adjutan; Lieu- 
tenant Heber S. Ives, quartermast.3r, 
and Charles W. Yale officer of the 
day. Senior Vice Commander N. 
Pomeroy Ives and Quartermaster 
Heber S. Ives were cousins and had 
been line officers in the service. They 
were nephews of John Ives of the 
firm of Ives, Upham & Rand- 

X. Pomeroy Ives, who was a first 
lieutenant in the Eighth Connecticut, 
was United States commissary at 
Point Lookout, Md., during the last 
year and a half of the war, having 
charge of supplies for the camp of 
Confederate Prisoners of War. The 
first commander. Chaplain Wooley, 
is now a resident of Pawtucket, R. I. 

The first junior vice commander, 
Emerson O. Puffer, is now engaged 
in business in Boston. The charter 
of the post, which was not received 
until the first convention of the 
Grand Army posts of the state, held 
in Hartford, April 11, 1867, dated 
April 15, 1867. Merriam post was 
represented in the first state con- 
vention of the Grand Army at Hart- 
ford. Colonel Charles L. Upham 
was present and was made junior 
vice department commander. 

At the second state encampment 
held in Hartford, January 8, 1868, 
Colonel Upham was elected senior 
vice department commander and Com- 
mander Wooley was made a member 
of the council of administration. 

At the very beginning of its 
career Merriam post became an act- 
ive and influential force in the state 
department. 

There was a hiatus for some 
months in 1868 in the meetings of 
the post, which at that time had not 
ben formally named. This suspen- 
sion of regular meetings failed to be 
prejudicial to the interests of the or- 
der. The Meriden men kept up the 
spirit and comradeship of the Grand 
Army. 

During the first of November, 
1868, meetings were resumed in 
Circle hall in the Hicks building. 
Frank J. Carter, now of Chicago, 
succeeded E. B. Goodyear and Jos- 
eph J. Wooley, both of whom had oc- 
cupied six months' terms as com- 
mander during the suspension of reg- 
ular meetings. The meting for nani- 
ing the post was held November 16, 



1868, The vote was unanimously in 
favor of Merriam in honor of Lieu- 
tenant Edwin J. Merriam of the Sev- 
enth Connecticut regiment. Lieu- 
tenant Merriam enlisted in the Sev- 
enth from the town of Durham. 
After three years of service in the 
ranks, he re-enlisted as a veteran 
and was made second lieutenant in 
Company C, which was commanded 
by Ira E. Hicks of New Britain. 

SKETCH OF E. J. MERRIAM. 

In the History of Connecticut dur- 
ing the Civil war, prepared by Crofut 
& Morris, it is stated concerning Lieu- 
tenant Merriam: "He was a Christian 
soldier, following with equal fidelity 
the cross and the flag." When his 
time expired he said: "I have deter- 
mined to re-enlist in order that I may 
during three years to come try to do 
good to the souls of my fellow sol- 
diers." Chaplain Wayiand, of the 
Seventh regiment, said of him: "He 
was the best man I ever knew, uniting 
more virtues with fewer weaknesses." 
In conversation with Chaplain Eaton, 
Lieutenant Merriam once remarked, 
and the words came rrom his heart: 
"I am willing to give up all my world- 
ly interests and enjoyments, if I can 
thereby secure the invaluable bless- 
ings of universal justice and freedom 
to those who shall live after me." 

It was in the companionship and 
comradeship of men like Chaplain 
Wayiand, Valentine B. Chamberlain, 
Lieutenant Bacon, son of Rev. Dr. 
Bacon, of New Haven, Major 0. S. 
Sanford, of Meriden, Colonel S. S. At- 
well, of Meriden, now of Providence, 
R. I., Daniel C. Rodman, lieutenant 
colonel of the regiment, Charles E. 
Palmer, William H. Pierpont, Morton 
A. Taintor, of Colchester, Ira E. 
Hicks, of New Britain, and Major Je- 
rome Tourtellotte, of Putnam, that 
Lieutenant Merriam developed and 
ripened as man and soldier. It was a 
noble comradeship, full of manliness 
and courage. 

Of the old officers of Lieutenant 
Merriam's day in the Seventh only 
half a dozen remain. They are Colo- 
nel S. S. Atwell, of Providence, who 
was the last commanfler of the regi- 
ment; Major Jerome Tourtellotte, 
Captain John Thompson, of Middle- 



I40 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




CITY MISSION BUILDING, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



141 



town, Captain Hicks, or New Britain, 
Captain Daniel G. Francis, of West 
Hartford, and Lieutenant Phillips, of 
Springfield, Mass. Captain Thompson, 
who was in command of the Seventh 
in the engagement at Deep Run, said 
in his report: "Lieutenant Merriam 
had been wounded in the engagement 
of the Fourteenth, but resumed his 
command and was again wounded, 
while nobly discharging his duty; and 
too much praise cannot be awarded 
him." Lieutenant Merriam's wound 
soon proved fatal, "and the state," 
wrote Chaplain John M. Morris in his 
history, "lost no more devoted son." 
Lieutenant Merriam was a man of the 
noblest impulses, wholly unselfish, 
and one of the best of friends and 
companions. He died in the cause 
that commanded his absolute allegi- 
ance and devotion. His life was given 
without lament, freely, joyously even, 
for the defense of the republic. 

The position of commander of the 
post was resigned by Commander Car- 
ter, August 23, 1869, and Past Com- 
mander Wooley was cnosen Septem- 
ber 13, in place of the retirng official. 
The first annual election of officers by 
the post took place December 23, 1870. 
Prior to that time the elections had 
been semi-annual. Chaplain Wooley 
was elected commander for the first 
term of one year, and was re-elected 
for 1871. Hector C. tiaydn was ad- 
jutant for the latter year, serving with 
marked success in that capacity. He 
has been adjutant under four different 
commanders since 1871. It was dur- 
ing the year 1871 that Commander 
Wooley resigned, the date being Oc- 
tober 6. The occasion for this course 
was the removal of Comander Wooley 
from the state. He had been a tried 
and true friend of the post, and his 
departure from Meriden was looked 
upon with great regret by the veter- 
ans. Commander Wooley was suc- 
ceeded by that nobleman of a soldier, 
Frank G. Otis, who was also com- 
mander in 1872. At the annual meet- 
ing, December 31, 1872, Wm. H. Mor- 
gan was elected, but on account of 
business alliances, demanding the 
whole of his time, he resigned the 
commandership. Past Commander 



Otis was again placed at the head of 
the post. His adjutant through the 
three years in which he was com- 
mander was Isaac B. Hyatt, whose 
death occurred here April 28, 1906. 
William L. Stoddard was commander 
in 1875, and J. H. Chapman in 1876. 
Isaac B. Hyatt became commander in 
1877 and held the position through 
three consecutive years. His adjutant 
was Hector C. Haydn. 

The commanders and adjutants of 
Merriam post, since 1879, with years of 
office have been: 

COMMANDERS. 

William G. Gallager 1880 

* Wallace A. Miles 1881 

Fred A. Higby 1882 

Wilbur F. Rogers 188a 

C. C. Kinne 1884 

* E. R. Merriam 1885 

Julius Augur 1886 

Albert F. Hall 1887 

H. L. B. Pond 1888 

C. S. Kelsey 1889 

* Allen W. Harvey 1890-'91 

Jacob McCall 1891 

C. A. Breckenridge 1892 

*H. J. Church 1893 

* Fred H. Carter 1894 

Byron C. Harvey 1894 

* J. C. Twicheil 1895 

Frank Hancock 1896 '97 

S. Y. Clark 1898 

H. C. Haydn 1899 

Albert a. May 1900-'C1 

Thomas A. Benham 1902 

Eugene A. Blake 1903 

William H. Harvey 1904 

James R. Sloane 1905-'06 

C. C. Wilcox 188a 

* Deceased. 

ADJUTANTS. 

J. D. Proudman 1881 

H. C. Haydn 1882 

* E. R. Merriam 1883 

J. L. Rutherford 1884 

A. F. Hall 1885 

* J. C. Twicheil 1886 

William G. Hooker 1887 

V. E. Hitchcock 1888 

H. C. Haydn 1889 

James R. Sloane 1890-'91-'92 

George E. Flint 1893 

James R. Sloane 1894 

James R. Sloane 1895 

George Southworth 1897 

H. C. Haydn 1898 



142 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



S. Y. Clark 1899 

* Charles Brewer 1900-'01 

H. C. Haydn 1902 

Albert A. May 1903-'04 

Four of tue past commanders, Isaac 

B. Hyatt, William G. Gallager, Wallace 
A. Miles and Constans C. Kinne, now 
of Glastonbury, served in the General 
Assembly, of Connecticut. George W. 
Couch, Theodore F. Byxbee and George 
O. Higby, of Meriden, have also been 
members of the Legislature. Henry 

C. Damon, of Berlin, who was formerly 
a member of the post, has been a rep- 
resentative in the Legislature from that 
town and George L. Hotchkiss, also of 
the post, has represented the town of 
Cheshire. 

Merriam post has furnished four de- 
partment commanders, Frank G. Otis, 
1878, Isaac B. Hyatt, 1883, Wilbur F. 
Rogers, 1893, and Albert A. May, 1905. 
Department Commander Otis died in 
office and w^as buried with Grand Army 
honors, August 12, 1878. He had serv- 
ed with honor in the Union army and 
had lost an arm at Appomattox. There 
was sorrow throughout the Grand 
Army in Connecticut on account of his 
death. 

Past Department Commander Hyatt, 
who died the last of April, was chief 
of the Meriden fire department for 
many years and was held in the high- 
est esteem as a public man and citizen. 
Past Department Commander Wilbur 
Fiske Rogers has been highly honored 
by the citizens of Meriden and is not 
unfamiliar with public service. He 
has held a distinguished place in the 
husiness life of the city. 

Department Cammonder May has 
made an admirable impression in 
Grand Army circles since he took the 
department commandership, one years 
ago. He is the present adjutant of 
the post. 

Merriam post was incorporated by 
act of the Legislature in 1887. The 
incorporators w^ere Wallace A. Miles, 
Wilbur F. Rogers, A. F. Hall, J. C. 
Twichell, Thomas A. Benham, William 
G. Hooker, A. H. Fairchild, Dr. E. C. 
Newport, Julius Rogers, C. A. Brecken- 
ridge, B. C. Harvey, F. A. Higby, V. E. 
Hitchcock, 0. D. Blakesley F. J. Car- 
ter, W. L. Stoddard, Isaac B. Hyatt, 
William G. Gallager, Constans C. 
Kinne, E. R. Merriam and Julius Au- 
gur. The act of incorporation was 



signed by Governor Phineas C. Louns- 
bury, April 13, 1887. Governor Louns- 
bury, who had served in the Seven- 
teenth Connecticut regiment, was a 
member of the Grand Army. 

The total number of veterans, who 
have been enrolled in Merriam post, is 
657. The number of members at the 
present time is 159. The officers are: 

James R. Sloane, commander; James 
B. Tracy, S. V. C; George B. Lawton, 
J. V. C; Albert A. May, adjutant; Ju- 
lius Augur, quartermaster; T. W. Kil- 
bourne, surgeon; George W. Kelly, 
chaplain; Wilbur W. Hart, 0. of Day; 
Jacob McCall, O. of Guard; Frank 
Hancock, sergeant major; Charles L. 
Taylor, Q. M. sergeant; Jacob Kline, 
sentinel; T. W. Kilbourne, librarian; 
George R. Southworth, pianist. 

The post contains a large number 
of influential business men in Meri- 
den. Colonel Charles L. Upham 
and Philip C. Rand of the host are 
both members of the firm of Ives. 
Upham & Rand, Thomas A . Ben- 
ham is secretary of the Meriden 
Cutlery company and a member of 
the school board, Martin B. Schenck 
is also a member of the school board 
and a well known manufacturer of 
hardware. George W. Couch, w^ho 
has been a member of the Legisla- 
ture, is a fire commisioner and has 
served with much acecptance on the 
Soldiers' Hospital board. William 
H. Catlin is vice president of the 
Meriden Savings bank. Emerson O. 
Puffer has a large clothing estab- 
lishment in Boston and Constans C. 
Kinne is living in retirement in G-as- 
tonbury. John L. Rutherford is 
secretary of the Foster-Merriam 
company. The post is represented 
on the police force by Edwin A. 
Puffer, who served in the First Ver- 
mont cavalry, and Charles D. Lewis, 
who was in theFirst Connecticut cav- 
alry. Theodore F. Byxbee is one of 
the wealthiest men of this city. 
Past Commander H. L. B. Pond is 
paymaster for the H- Wales Lines 
company and George E. Flint is 
treasurer of the Wilcox Silver Plate 
company. Past Commander A. F. 
Hall is paymaster for the ]\Ianning & 
Bowman company. William G. 

Hooker is manager in the Horton 
Printing company. John S. Lane is 
president of the Lane Construction 
corporation company. A. L. Barclett 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



143 



is one of the earliest members of tue 
post and a member of the finance 
committee. Byron C. Harvey, W. H. 
Harvey, eGorge W. Kelly, John H. 
McCormick, Jacob McCall, Byron G- 
Paddock, who escaped from Auder- 
sonville, Edson Sanford, Charles L. 
Taylor and Prank Hancock, .ianitor 
at the New Haven post oflice, are 
well known men in Meriden and re- 
spected veterans of the Civil war. 
Norman S. Wood is a foreman at the 
Meriden Britannia company's works 
and Charles A. Breckonridge is with 
Edwin Miller & Co. The past com.- 
mander, James R. Sloane, is cashier 
at the Parker works and is a man of 
solid attainments businesswise. He 
has won political honors in the city 
and is one of the town auditors at 
present. 

Department Commander May, ad- 
jaiant of the post, is engaged in the 
Tindertaking busines'i and is poi)ul':ir 
throughout the city. Juliu3 Augur, 
quartermaster of the post, is a mem- 
ber of the Board of Fire commis- 
sioners. He wa.s commander in 
1886 and has been quartermaster 
fifteen years. He wa!< a nephew of 
Lieutenant Edwin J. Merriam in 
honor of whom the post was named. 
He enlisted first in the Fifteenth 
Connecticut August 8, 1862, and was 
discharged in February, 1863, from 
Chestnut Hill hospital in Philadel- 
phia on account of disability. He 
re-enlisted In Hartford, December 
31, 1863, in Company C of the Sev- 
enth regiment. He was discharged 
at Goldsboro, N. C, July 20, i865. 
He became a member of Merriam 
post, January 27, 1871. He is a 
member of the Army and Navy club 
of Connecticut. Quartermaster 

Augur is engaged in the market bus- 
iness. He is popular in the post and 
out, being a man of attrtictive per- 
sonality. 

Past Commander Charles ;^. Kel- 
sey is a mounted letter carrier and 
Past Commander Hector C. Hayden 
is with the Bradley & Hubbard com- 
pany. 

The judge of probate, John Q. Thay- 
er, is one of the foremost members of 
Merriam post. He was a private in 
Company I, of the Eighth Connecticut, 
and was mustered in the Grand Army 
January 20, 1871. He is a member of 
the Army and Navy club of Connecti- 



cut and one of the most respected Civil 
war veterans in the state. He has 
held the office of probate judge for a 
number of years, discharging the duties 
of the office in an able and satisfactory 
manner. 

Merriam post has received much rec- 
ognition and honor from the national 
department. The list of appointments 
from that body is: Aides-de-camp, 
William H. Morgan, 1878, John C. Rob- 
inson, of New York, national com- 
mander; Wilbur Fiske Rogers, 1880, 
Louis Wagner, of Philadelphia, nation- 
al commander; Emerson 0. Puffer, 
1882, Paul Van Der Voort, of Omaha, 
Neb., national commander; A. H. Fair- 
child, 1883, Robert B. Beath, of Phila- 
delphia, national commander; William 

F. Graham, 1885, S. S. Burdett, of 
Washington, D. C, national command- 
er; C. A. Breckenridge, 1887, John P. 
Rea, of Minneapolis, national com- 
mander, and J. D. Proudman, 1889, R. 

A. Alger, of Detroit, national com- 
mander. James R. Sloane and Isaac 

B. Hyatt were assistant inspector gen- 
erals, the former in 1879 and the latter 
in 1881. William G. Gallager, Constans 

C. Kinne, Wilbur Fiske Rogers, Julius 
Augur and Wallace A. Miles constitute 
the list of national delegates. James 
R. Sloane was alternate in 1882 and 
William G. Gallager in 1883. William 

G. Gallager was a member of the Na- 
tional Council of Administration in 
1885. 

In 1900 Department Commander May 
was on the staff of Commander-in- 
Chief Leo Rassieur of St. Louis. In 
1903 Hector C. Haydn was on the staff 
of Commander-in-Chief John C. Black, 
of Chicago, and Albert C. Hall is at 
presnt on the staff of Commander-in- 
Chief James Tanner, of New York. T. 
W. Kilbourne, A. J. Doolittle and 
George W. Couch are trustees of the 
post. 

The initial steps towards the erec- 
tion of the soldiers' monument at the 
head of East Main street were taken 
by Merriam post. It is a splendid tes- 
timonial from the patriotic citizens of 
Meriden and the post, representing 
the veterans of the war. At an en- 
thusiastic public meeting in 1870 the 
sum of $10,000 was appropriated by 
the town for the monument. The mo- 
tion for the appropriation was made 
by Rev. Joseph J. Wooiey. The Hon. 



144 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




SALESKI BUILDING, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



145 



Orville H. Piatt seconded the idea in 
a graceful and impressive utterance, 
attesting his own and the public's in- 
debtedness to the Union soldiers. 

It was a charactensrrc speech. It 
may be said in this connection and 
ought to be said that me veterans 
from Connecticut never had a better 
or nobler friend in the United States 
Congress than Senator Flatt. Merrl- 
am post contributed $1,000 towards 
the monument. The dedication took 
place in 1873, General Joseph R. Haw- 
ley delivering the oration. The floor 
cannon, which occupy positions on the 
site of the monument, were donated 
by the United States government, 
through the influence of Congressman 
Stephen W. Kellogg, of Waterbury. 
They were captured from the rebels 
by Union troops. 

Merriam post has one of the best 
equipped Grand Army halls in the 
state. There is a cluD room and li- 
brary connected with the headquar- 
ters, where the members and friends 
of the post can meet at any time 
through the day and evening for social 
objects. The library furnishes an en- 
joyable means of entertainment. The 
hal is located on Colony street, and 
is easily accessible from the railroad 
station. The first meetings of the post 
were held in Circle hall in the Hicks 
building. Afterwards they were held 
in what was known as the "Flat 
Iron" building, at the corner of Main 
and Crown streets. At the end of 
three months the post was compelled 
to leave the "Flat Iron" and move in- 
to a larger hall in Stone's building on 
State street, which was used by the 
Meriden Veteran Guards for an arm- 
ory. The third removal, which took 
place during the fall of 1S70, was to 
the hall of Pacific lodge of Odd Fel- 
lows. 

It was in this hall that the first 



annual meeting of the post was held. 
The present headquarters have been 
occupied since October 5, 1874. Frank 
G. Otis was commander of the post 
at that time and took great interest in 
the change. He felt it was a step to- 
wards the prosperity and success, 
which were anticipated for the post. 
These anticipations have been more 
than realized during the past thirty 
years. 

Merriam post hall has been a well 
spring from which the beneficience of 
the Grand Army has flowered, giving 
comfort and relief, where needed and 
iiTspiring comradeship and loyalty in 
all. It is in this hall that the veterans 
of Meriden have groMm old together. 
The place is full of sacred memories. 
In the heart of the city, it is a center 
and source of the highest patriotism. 
The block in which the hall is lo- 
cated is the property of Merriam 
post, having been bought a number of 
years ago from Horace Wilcox. The 
rentals furnish an ample income for 
the post. The purchase of the block 
was an admirable business transac- 
tion. With the exception of J. H. Con- 
verse post, of Windsor Locks, Merri- 
am post has no rival in the depart- 
ment in the way of property owner- 
ship. The handsome Memorial hall 
that is owned by Converge post was 
given by the venerable philanthropist, 
Charles E. Chaffee, of Windsor Locks, 
who will be eighty-eight years of age 
the last of this month. The sum of 
$25,000 was given by Mr. Chaffee for 
the hall. 

Merriam post occupies an enviab'^ 
place in the community. Said H. 
Wales Lines a few days ago, voicing 
the public feeling: "Whatever Merri- 
am post wants in Meriden, it can 
have." It has been nobly dealt with 
and has nobly deserved the public ad- 
miration and confidence. 



JO 



146 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



D. A. R. MEMORIAL 



Meriden having furnished its quota of 
soldiers in the war of the Revolution 
there are many of their descendants, men 
and women, in this city. It is, there- 
fore, appropriate that there should be 
chapters of the Daughters of the Ameri- 
can Revolution here. There are two of 
them in existence, the Ruth Hart chap- 
ter and the Susan Carrington Clarke 
chapter. Each has about 150 members. 

The Ruth Hart chapter is the oldest 
of these organizations. On November 
29, 1892, a meeting of ladies interested 
in the formation of a chapter of the 
daughters met in the parlors of the 
Winthrop hotel and listened to an ad- 
dress by Mrs. De B. Randolph Keim. 
From that time the Daughters of the 
American Revolution has been in exist- 
ence. It was not until April 8, 1893, that 
the charter was secured. IMrs. Levi E. 
Coe was the first regent and Aliss Fan- 
nie L. Twiss, secretary. It was decided 
to name the chapter Ruth Hart in honor 
of the wife of General Selah Hart, who 
commanded the Connecticut militia in 
the war of the Revolution. 

From the start the chapter prospered 
and at each meeting new members were 
admitted, but after a while dissensions 
arose. It was as to the proper spelling 
of the name of the chapter. Some de- 
clared it should be Hart while others 
were of the opinion that Heart was cor- 
rect. No agreement could be reached 
and on October 8, 1895, twenty-four of 
the members dropped from the roll. 
The\' formed a rival chapter and named 
it Susan Carrington Clarke chapter. 
Mrs. Kate Foote Coe was elected re- 
gent and she has occupied that office 
ever since. 

For some years the two chapters had 
no interests in common and held aloof 
from each other. But that is now a 
thing of the past. Centennial week and 
the incidents pertaining thereto brought 
them in close bonds of friendship and 
one and all were hard at work for weeks 



preparing for the celebration. Officers 
and members took the deepest interest 
in the celebration and the unveiling of 
the tablet to the memory of the soldiers 
of the Revolution. 

Some of the souvenirs which were 
gathered by the daughters jmd which 
were on exhibition were of great inter- 
est. One of them was a chain made of 
steel. Pendant from it is a small disk 
also of steel. Set in gold and one side 
is a head of Washington and on the 
other one of Lafayette. Although 
strongly made the chain is very light. 
One of the exhibits that was of interest 
to the men who served in the Civil war 
was a pack of cards. They were car- 
ried on many a battlefield and while 
made in 1863 did not show signs of hard 
usage. They were loaned to the daugh- 
ters by ]\Irs. Laura A. Payne. 

Mrs. Kate Foote Coe, the regent of 
Susan Carrington Clarke chapter, is a 
resident of New Haven. She is the 
widow of Judge x\ndrew J. Coe and 
was born in Guilford, Conn.. ]\Iay 31, 
1840. , Her ancestry on her father's side 
includes General Ward of Revolutionary 
fame, and Colonel Andrew W^ard, an 
officer in the French and Indian wars. 
After obtaining an education she be- 
gan her career as teacher, first presiding 
over the district school of her native 
village. Later she taught at the Hart- 
ford. Female seminary. In 1863 she went 
south and taught among the negroes 
during the latter part of the Civil war. 
From Beaufort, S. C, she went to St. 
Augustine, Fernandino and Jackson- 
ville, Fla. She was accompanied by her 
sister, Harriet Ward Foote, who became 
the first wife of the late Senator Jo- 
seph R. Hawley. After the close of the 
war she continued teaching. The work 
of her pen has delighted the readmg 
public and she has contributed to the 
best magazines. For fifteen years while 
she was the Washington correspondent 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



147 



of the Independent she secured the ful/ 
confidence of man}- famous men and 
women. Mrs. Coe has traveled exten- 
sively in this and foreign lands. Her 
first trip abroad was in 1872 when she 
spent a year in Europe. In her travels 
she found and improved the opportun- 
ity to study the people of the Philip- 
pines, Mexico, Jamaica and Trinidad. 
Upon her marriage with Judge Andrew 
Coe she spent a winter in Caracas, 
\^enezuela. After the death of her hus- 
band she removed to New Haven, tak- 
ing up her residence with her sister, 
Mrs. Edward H. Jenkins, whose hus- 
band is director of the Agricultural E.x- 
periment Station of Connecticut. For 
many years she has been a leader in 
the Daughters of the American Revolu- 
tion. 

Mrs. William H. Catlin is the regent 
of Ruth Hart chapter. One of her an- 
cestors was a passenger of the May- 
flower when that vessel made its second 
voyage to this country. Her great- 
grandfather was in the Revolutionary 
war and was officer of the day when 
IMaior Andre was hanged. She is also 
a direct descendant of Governor Prince 
and Elder William Brewster. 

Mrs. Charles E. Morgan for the past 
two terms has been the corresponding 
secretary of Ruth Hart chapter and 
while in office has endeared herself in 
the minds of her associates. She is 
the daughter of Ransom Baldwin and 
was born in this city, as were her 
father and grandfather. She graduated 
from the Meriden High school in 1892 
and from the Emerson College of Ora- 
torv of Boston three vears later. 



Mrs. Sara T. Kinney, state regent of 
the Daughters of the American Revolu- 
tion, was the chief figure at the exer- 
cises in the afternoon at the unveiling of 
the tablet, that bronze memorial which 
was given by the Susan Carrington 
Clarke chapter, and contains the names 
of the Revolutionary soldiers and mil- 
itiamen from the parish of Meriden, 
177s to 1783. Services of a very im- 
pressive nature were held in the 
First Methodist church under the aus- 
pices of Susan Carrington Clarke chap- 
ter, and that the memory of the dead 
is still held in the hearts and minds of 
the people of the present was shown bv 
the large number who were in attend- 



ance. There was not a vacant seat in 
the church, and many were obliged to 
stand; even that they were willing to do 
in order to attend the exercises. 

All invited guests and members of the 
D. A. R. were seated in the body of the 
church, and the galleries were opened 
to the public. Previous to the exer- 
cises the members of the local D. A. 
R. assembled in the parlors of the 
church at the Pleasant street entrance. 

The exercises opened with music by 
the glee club, which was followed by 
an historical address by Mrs. Kinney. 
The presentation of the tablet was then 
made by Mrs. Louis K. Curtis. In the 
address she said : 

PRESENTATION SPEECH. 

Madam State Regent, Madam Re- 
gent, visiting daughters and friends — 
This is to us a very joyful occasion. 
There is always great satisfaction in 
the consideration of work accomplished, 
a task well done. We forget all the 
weary hours of labor, the arduous toil 
in the grand consummation, yet it is not 
all joy, for we remember with love the 
one who stood at the head of our com- 
mittee, our chairman. Miss Emma Sav- 
age, who loved the work so dearly, and 
who has passed on to other activities. 
If the dear Lord permits, I am sure 
she is very near us to-day, rejoicing 
with us in the work achieved. 

In the War of the Revolution the 
soldiers of Connecticut stood in the 
fore front battling for their rights and 
on the roster stand the names of many 
high in the military rank. To the gen- 
eral, the colonel, the major are given 
fame and honor, while to those of lesser 
rank is given the work leading to that 
honor. 

Meriden's roster has no general, no 
colonel, no major, but over the names 
of t,he 113 loyal soldiers who did the 
work so nobly, over their names we 
have set the palm branch as an em- 
blem of our love, and loyalty and de- 
votion. 

Madam Regent, the tablet committee 
have the honor to announce that the tab- 
let has been placed in the Curtis ]Me- 
morial library. 

There was music by a trio and then 
Mrs. Kate Foote Coe. regent of Susan 
Carrington Clarke chapter, presented 
the tablet in the following address : 



148 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




> 



MRS. SARA T. KINNEY, 
State Regent, D. A. R- 



CEXTEXNIAL OF MERIDKN, 



149 



KATE FOOTE COE. 

Ladies of the Susan Carrington 
Clarke chapter and visiting friends : 

We all theoretically approve, yes like 
peace. But when it comes to the set- 
tlement of great questions, the greatest 
questions, we settle them by an appeal 
to arms. 

"There is nothing worse than war," 
said an army officer once in my hearing. 
He had been giving us some reminis- 
cences of our Civil war. 

"Yes, there is," said a sudden voice 
ringing out like a bugle call. We all 
looked up in surprise ; it seemed as if 
there could be no contradiction of that 
statement. "Yes," said the second man, 
also an officer— "a cowardly peace." 

But apparently there is no other way 
as yet. So we have had our two great 
wars, the one of 1776, the other of 1861. 
The first put us on the road to being 
a great nation ; the second held us there. 

The battles and the soldiers of 1776 
are far back in our history, so far that 
—as they give sainthood to the Catholic 
church long after the saint has been 
dead, a hundred years or more — we feel 
now that every man who carried a mus- 
ket, who drove an army team, whose 
name is in any office, is on the muster 
rolls of the Revolutionary war, whether 
he bled and died, or came home alive 
to his family and friends, we feel that 
all these men deserve the sainthood of 
having their names preserved and in- 
scribed where men shall see them and 
remember what they stand for. 

This is why we have this tablet — this 
is wh\- we have come here to-day. 

It has been a labor of love, and Mer- 
iden has sent her beauty and chivalry 
to the entertainments we have offered, 
and this when they knew, when we un- 
blushingly admitted, that we wanted 
them to put their hands in their pockets 
and help us. 

And the chapter stood by nobly. You 
upheld the committee — the committee 
who bore the brunt of the whole thing. 
Your chairman has spoken of Miss Sav- 
age, beloved, but gone from us. T can 
only add my own regrets and the feeling 
of personal loss in her death. 

The chapter found and knew a true 
artist when they saw him, and TMr. 
Gudebrod has given us of his best 
work. When vou see the tablet, note 



the clearness of the lettered names, that 
scroll of honor of JNIeriden's men; note 
the grace of the figure that stands mod- 
estly aside, yet bears the palm above 
them ; the palm, that emblem of mar- 
t\'rdom and of victory. 

Mr. Curtis, we have the pleasure of 
giving into your custody in the Me- 
morial library this result of our labors 
and anxieties. It will have its lesson 
for those who throng there. It will add 
to the beauty of the gift Mrs. Curtis 
has made to the town, and we thank 
you for this opportunity you have given 
us. 

MRS. KIXXEV'S ADDRESS. 

Mrs. Kinney gave the principal ad- 
dress at the memorial exercises. She 
spoke as follows : 

It is always a happiness to me to 
be the guest of Daughters of the 
American Revolution, and especially 
on such an occasion as this. It is no 
ordinary event that has called us to- 
gether this afternoon. We are here 
for the purpose — among other pur- 
poses — of extending our felicitations to 
the town of Meriden upon its good for- 
tune in having safely weathered not 
only its infantile woes but the stress 
and" turmoil of j-outh. and of having 
finally attained to its full majority. We 
have also to congratulate Meriden up- 
on the very artistic and historically 
valuable work of art which comes to 
the town -to-day as a birthday gift from 
the Susan Carrington Clarke chapter, 
D. A. R., and surely our congratula- 
tions are due to the chapter itself 
upon the consummation of a most in- 
teresting and truly patriotic labor of 
love, and we may all draw from its 
example fresh courage and hope for 
the future of our work, and for the 
great society which we have the honor 
to represent. There are always good 
reasons to be given for the wisdom 
and progressive spirit which is dis- 
played by certain towns, and it isn't 
necessarj' to go far afield to find at 
least one entirely satisfactory and sig- 
nificant reason for Meriden's present 
position as one of the foremost towns 
of the state. 

The fact is. Meriden has a larger 
constituency of Daughters of the Amer- 
ican Revolution than any other town of 
Connecticut, and this alone speaks vol- 
umes for the Silver City, as we see 



i=;o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



and know it to-day. But for the ex- 
istence of the Susan Carrington Clarke 
and Ruth Hart chapters, D. A. R., it 
is to be feared that Meriden's Old 
Home week would have lacked some 
of the essentials now so apparent in 
the splendidly brilliant event which 
thousands of her well wishers are en- 
joying at this time. I suppose it must 
be admitted that Meriden differs some- 
what from Daughters of the American 
Revolution as well as other Daughters 
of Eve, in her frank willingness 
to tell her age. Aleriden rejoices 
and desires every one to rejoice 
in the fact that she is lOO years young, 
and that she is just now making plans 
for a long and useful career which 
may possibly reach its meridian five 
hundred or a thousand years hence. 
May the best of good fortune attend 
the town in the centuries that lie before 
it. 

The Daughters of the American Rev- 
olution are gathered here this after- 
noon to do honor to the memory 
of the men from this locality who 
fought to make us a nation, and we in 
turn, are honored by the presence and 
the interest in our exercises of men 
who fought to preserve us a na- 
tion. It is possible that never before 
had there been, and perhaps never 
again in the history of this country will 
there be such an inrush into the hearts 
of both men and women, of ethical loy- 
alty to patriotic ideals as was^ manifest 
during those fateful years from 1861 to 
1865. The sundering of family ties, the 
severing of lifelong friendships, the at- 
tempted outrage upon the fundamental 
principles which underlie the founda- 
tions of our republic were staggering 
blo;ws. But as fierce fire melts and 
welds particles of metal into unbending 
and unbreakable bars of steel, so this 
inherent consciousness of the chaotic 
nature of the secession movement 
welded together the rank and file into 
an invincible and unconquerable army 
of men who fought and bled and died 
for good citizenship add an unwaver- 
ing loyalty to an ideal government of 
the people, by the people and for the 
people. The men who fought under 
Grant, Sherman, • Sheridan, Sedgwick, 
Terry, Hawley and Mansfield, under 
Farragut, Foote, Porter and many an- 
other gallant leader will never be for- 
gotten by us. 

They have given us a legacy of honor 



and of hope — and their unsullied rep- 
utations will be forever held in the 
tender keeping of a grateful republic. 
Veterans, we thank you for your pres- 
ence with us to-day. The Daughters of 
the American Revolution salute you ! 
As most of us know, the national so- 
ciety, Daughters of the American Rev- 
olution, is the largest patriotic heredi- 
tary organization in the world. It is 
chartered by the Congress of the United 
States. It has a membership of over 
50,000 and these members may be found 
in every state and territory in the Union, 
in Canada, Hawaii, the Philippines, 
— in England, France, Italy — and even 
in far off' India. All through this dear 
land of ours, and especially throughout 
the commonwealth of Connecticut, the 
Daughters of the American Revolution 
are doing the kind of patriotic, histor- 
ical, commemorative and educational 
work which is theirs to do, by right of 
inheritance, and in accordance with the 
requirements of the National Society 
of which each and every "Daughter" is 
a member. 

This society was formed for the 
purpose of perpetuating the memory of 
the men and women who gave material 
aid to the cause of liberty during the 
War of the Revolution, and is a me- 
morial established by lineal descendants 
of patriots, that the names and services 
of those same patriots may be remem- 
bered in years to come, as a part of 
the nation's history. Its historical 
value is now so fully acknowledged, that 
it is, and will always continue to be es- 
teemed a privilege and an honor to come 
into its membership. For the past 
200 years this country has been exceed- 
ingly busy making history. We are now 
beginning to mark history. We are real- 
izing as never before the need of reach- 
ing out and gathering up the threads that 
lead to, and are explanatory of this, 
that, or the other historic event and 
of weaving them into intelligible stories 
which may be graven on stone or 
moulded in bronze, and placed in our 
public buildings, by the wayside, in 
parks or in busy city streets. These 
stories do not so much concern the in- 
dividuals whose names may chance to 
be identified with them, as they do the 
loyalty to high ideals which actuated 
the dramatis personae in the historic 
events wdiich are recorded thereon, and 
as a rule these stories are so briefly 
told, so strong in their simplicity and 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



151 



so clear in their conclusions, that thj: 
wayfaring man or woman even though 
unable to read a word, need not err 
in his or her understanding of them, 
nor of their raison d'etre. From Maine 
to California this dear land of ours is 
being starred b_v Daughters of the 
American Revolution with stories in 
bronze and sermons in stones, and 
every one of them is a leaf out of 
United States history. 

Perhaps in no other country are such 
lessons in history more needed than 
right here in our own United States. 
No other ruler in the world has such 
a composite constituency as has the 
President of the United States. And this 
constituency includes a much larger 
proportion than it should, of unedu- 
cated and lawless men and women who 
have little or no respect for the laws of 
God or man — men and women who 
are practically without a country and 
without homes. One of the missions of 
the D. A. R., of all patriotic organiza- 
tions, in fact, is to reach and teach these 
people the real meaning and value of 
law ; the real meaning and strength of 
loyalty to one's country — the real mean- 
ing and beauty of pure homes. If from 
no higher motive, than in the interests 
of political economy alone, these people 
should be saved from themselves in 
spite of themselves. I believe that the 
effort to accomplish this, or at least 
some part of it, is one of the strong, 
underlying purposes of the D. A. R. 
They wish to be factors for good in 
their respective communities ; they wish 
to add their strength to the world-wide 
effort to uplift humanity — they wish to 
do what they can and may do to make 
this world a little brighter, a little 
better, and a good deal more patriotic 
than we sometimes have reason to be- 
lieve it is. After the fashion of wom- 
en we must, of course, do this work 
in our own wa}^ We may not go into 
the pulpit and preach our sermons to 
a little coterie of men and women 
whose beliefs are the same as our own. 
Our way, one of our ways at least, 
is to carve our sermons on stones 
or mould them in bronze, and set them 
up where people of all creeds or no 
creed at all, may read them. We may 
not enter the more or less sacred pre- 
cincts on Capitol hill in Washington 
and join our distinguished congressmen 
in the business of making laws for 80,- 
000,000 people. But, the Daughters may 



and do invite them to come to us and 
co-operate in our business of setting up 
by the wayside these fadeless pages out 
of the history of our state where they 
may be seen and read of all men. 

Within the past ten years and in ad- 
dition to a phenomenally large amount 
of work along other lines of effort, be- 
tween fifty and sixty such memorial 
stones and tablets, fountains and gate- 
ways have been placed by the Connec- 
ticut D. A. R. to mark historic spots or 
to record the virtues, the sacrifices and 
the ideals of our Revolutionary heroes 
and heroines. 

The debt of gratitude which we all 
owe 'to the makers of the Republic can 
never be paid in coin of the realm, 
but the Susan Carrington Clarke chap- 
ter, D. A. R., will to-day in some meas- 
ure, at least, discharge its share of the 
moral obligation which is laid upon 
every patriotic heart to keep green the 
memory of the men and women who 
achieved American independence. This 
town sent 113 men into the ranks of 
the Revolutionary army. You recall 
the story of the dauntless seven who 
fell in the battle of Lexington — Brown, 
Hadley, Monro*, Parker, Porter and the 
two Harringtons : 

"Harrington lies on his doorstep dead, 
But, oh, ye six that round him lay 
And bloodied up that April da\-, — 
As Harrington fell, ye likewise fell — 
At the door of the house wherein j'^e 

dwell. 
As Harrington came, ye likewise came, 
And died at the door of your house of 

fame." 

During the war which followed, each 
colony and each locality had its Har- 
ringtons, its Parkers and its Porters. 
You had your Halls, Yales, Rices, Mer- 
riams. Atwaters, Harts, Couches and 
Shaylors, and many another patriotic 
martyr, who in his own day and gen- 
eration, gave the best that was 
in him for home and country. In en- 
during bronze the name of each of 
the 113 men who went from this local- 
ity to fill his own particular niche in 
the epoch-making days of 1776 will for 
decades to come serve to indicate to fu- 
ture generations something of the splen- 
did story of the valor and sacrifices of 
Meriden's Revolutionary heroes. This 
memorial should stand for something 
in this communitv. The storv which 



152 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



wo read between the lines suggests 
only that which was fine and noble, 
helpful and progressive in the lives of 
men who once walked these streets. 
The}' are long since dead to this world. 

"Their bones are dust, their good 

swords rust, 
Their souls are with the Lord we 

trust." 

But to-da}- they are speaking to us 
through the undying inHuence of their 
valorous lives. 

This beautiful and significant tablet 
is the gift of an organization of rep- 
resentative women, each one of whom 
is a lineal descendant of a Revolu- 
tionary sire, and each one is pledged 
to the ideals which make for right- 
eousness, and tend to elevate homes 
and country. It is the belief of 
such women as these that "A people 
which takes no pride in the achievements 
of remote ancestors will never achieve 
anything worthy to be remembered by 
remote descendants." These are Ma- 
cauley's words, but in a very true sense 
they belong to the creed of the D. A. R. 
Therefore, in erecting a tablet in this 
city, upon which is graven the names 
of Meriden's Revolutionary soldiers, 
the Susan Carrington Clarke chapter 
not only fulfills its unwritten vow to 
keep green the memory of the heroic 
dead of a century and more ago, but 
it honors itself and the splendid or- 
ganization to which it has pledged its 
allegiance, and its name will pass on 
into history as one worthy of remem- 
brance by remote descendants. I 
bring to the Susan Carrington Clarke 
chapter the thanks of sister chapters 
throughout the state for having so suc- 
cessfully added to the list of the com- 
memorative achievements of the Con- 
necticut Daughters, and I am happy to 
testify to my conviction that the mem- 
bers of this chapter have amply justi- 
fied their birthright to that most hon- 
orable title of Daughters of the Amer- 
ican Revolution. 

MR. Curtis' acceptance. 

In accepting the tablet in behalf of 
the directors of the library, Mr. Cur- 
tis said: 

It is a beautiful tribute that you are 
paying to the memory of the Revolu- 
tionary sons of the parish of Meriden. 

On imperishable bronze, in letters in- 
scribed beneath the outstretched hand 



of the genius of fame bearing the palm 
branch of victory, you are preserving 
the names of those men who served 
their country with courage and devo- 
tion, of those who, leaving homes and 
friends, endured with fortitude and 
patience the many years of campaign 
and privation, and when the war was 
ended and the victory theirs, like the 
noble Roman of old, laid down their 
arms and returned to the plow, content 
to have done their duty, and proud to 
have served their country when danger 
was great. 

I have browsed so long among the 
ancient records, that these men seem 
like old friends. By day and by night 
they have been my companions, until 
I have scarce known whether my 
morning greetings would be paid to 
Capt. John Couch, Capt. Divan Berry 
or Lieut. Joseph Shaylor, or to those 
whom I had left in flesh and blood 
the day before. That their names are 
preserved for this and unborn gener- 
ations in a manner so beautiful, artis- 
tic, and permanent, is a fitting memor- 
ial of respect and admiration from you, 
who have done so much to keep alive 
the memory of the historic deeds of the 
fathers. It is inspiring, and long may it 
preserve its power to kindle in youth 
and manhood that love of country and 
devotion to duty which is the highest 
civic virtue of which we are capable. 

Speaking for the directors of the li- 
brary, I can assure you that we esteem 
it a sacred trust that v/e are to be the 
custodians of this tribute of respect and 
veneration. It will grace and hallow 
our walls, and will always have our un- 
bounded care and protection. 

There is one man on this roll of fame 
who has never had paid to him the jus- 
tice and honor he deserves. I do not 
disparage that gallant officer, Capt. John 
Couch, but he was not a young man 
when hostilities began, and he was cap- 
tured by the British in the latter part 
of 1776, and after serving some months 
in prison his vigor seems to have been 
impaired, and he was incapacitated for 
military duty of an arduous nature dur- 
ing the rest of the war. The tnan I re- 
fer to is Lieut. Joseph Shaylor. He 
began his service at the time of the 
Lexington alarm, and apparently served 
almost continuously until the declara- 
tion of peace in 1783. After the north- 
ern campaign of 1775, under General 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



153 



Schuyler, Lieut. Shaylor was taken sick 
at Putney, Vt., and among the ancient 
records preserved in the capitol at Hart- 
ford, I hnd his bill for medical attend- 
ance, lasting sixteen days ; and then fol- 
lows the item for hire of horse and 
man to bring him home, a distance of 
one hundred and ninety miles, at a to- 
tal expense of i6-i6s-i8d. But this ex- 
perience did not quench his courage for 
he was soon on duty again, valiant and 
plucky as ever. I have read his letter, 
under date of Feb 12, 1781, written 
from Constitution Island, near West 
Pointf in which, with a thrill of enthus- 
iasm, and cheerful, as usual, he says : 

"I arrived safely in camp in four 
■days after leaving Meriden. Camp af- 
fairs are as usual, all hands hearty. We 
have just enough to keep soul and body 
from parting, but hope for good times. 
Our New England lines have done 
themselves immortal honor in bearing 
with patience those inconveniences for 
which the Southern troops have revolt- 
ed, though they were much better pro- 
vided than our line." 

He was in the battles of Long Island 
and White Plains, and was one of that 
picked body of men who took part in 
the storming and capturing of Stony 
Point imder Mad Anthony Wayne, on 
July 15, 1779, one of the most brilliant 
exploits during the war. 

His record was stirring, and he was 
recognized as daring and courageous, 
and after the war he was deemed wor- 
thy of admission to the Order of the 
Cincinnati. 

Notwithstanding his long and ardu- 
ous experience during the Revolution, 
his military ardor was not quenched, for 
as captain he raised a company in this 
town and served in the unhappy General 
St. Clair expedition, of 1781, against 
the Miami Indians, in the then North- 
west territory, and his son, a lad of 
fifteen, accompanied him on the expedi- 
tion. Several of the Meriden men were 
killed, and the poor boy was slain and 
scalped by the Indians, and in the old 
Broad street cemetery we may read the 
inscription : 

"In Memory of 

Mr. Joseph Shaylor 

the only son of 

Major and Mrs. Rachel Shaylor, 



wlio was slain by the Indians at Fort 

Jefferson, Feby. 11, 1792 

Aged 15 

His surviving Sisters consecrate this 

Inscription to his Memory." 

Major Shaylor settled in Ohio at the 
close of this war, and, so far as I 
know, there are none of his descendants 
now living in IMeriden. Would that 
some of them were present, so that we 
might pay to them the consideration 
and honor to which the gallant mili- 
tary service of Major Shaylor makes 
any one of that name entitled. 

During his residence in Meriden he 
was a part owner of what we now call 
Baldwin's Mill, then known as Hough's 
and his home was on Gravel street, a 
short distance south of Baldwin avenue. 

Peace to his ashes. He is deserving 
of our praise and memorv to-day. 

After the acceptance of the tablet 
by Mr. Curtis, "America" was sung, af- 
ter which the benediction was pro- 
nounced by Rev. A. J. Lord. 

At the conclusion of the exercises 
many went to the library to view the 
tablet which has been placed on the 
east side of the main entrance. 



Last October the members of Susan 
Carrington Clarke chapter at an in- 
formal meeting discussed the advisa- 
bility of erecting some kind of a me- 
morial to the men of the parish of Mer- 
iden who fought in the War of the 
Revolution. It was the opinion of all 
those present that no more fitting time 
could be selected than some day in the 
week when Meriden celebrated her Cen- 
tennial. The idea at once bore fruit. 
Other meetings were held and no de- 
cision was reached as to the form of 
the memorial, whether it should be a 
shaft or a boulder. Finally one of the 
members offered the suggestion that 
the memorial be in the form of a tab- 
let to be placed in the Curtis library. 
The suggestion was immediately ac- 
cepted and the committees were ap- 
pointed and went to work with the re- 
sult that the tablet now adorns the li- 
brary wall. It was designed by Louis 
E. Gudebrod, a Meriden bo\-, a pupil 
of St. Gaudens. and was cast by the 
John Williams company, of New York. 



154 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



THIRTY-SEVENTH SCHUETZENFEST OF THE 
SOUTHERN N. E. SCHUETZENBUND 



The thirty-seventh scliuetzenfest of 
the Soutliern New England Schuetzen- 
biind began at Schuetzen park in the 
morning with a large attendance and 
every indication of being recorded as an- 
other Centennial success. 

The six shooting organizations com- 
prising the S. N. E. bund met at the 
station, the five out-of-town companies 
being received by the Meriden Rifle club. 
Shortly after 9 o'clock the line of march 
was formed with Gottlieb Anschuetz, of 
the ]\Ieriden club, as the mounted mar- 
shal and a short parade was made in 
the following order : 

Koscuiszko Band, Meriden. 
Company I, 2nd Regt., C. N. G., Cap- 
tain G. E. Proudman. 
Independent German Rifle club, 
New Haven. 
Hartford Schuetzen Verein. 
Springfield Rifle Club. 
Taftville Rifle Club. 
Meriden Fife and Drum Corps. 
Meriden Rifle Club. 
Carriage containing ]\Iayor Reilly, 
Chairman G. ^I. Curtis, Select- 
man Miller and Town 
Clerk Hess. 
Carriages containing ladies of the S. 
N. E. and other guests. 

The procession went from State to 
East Main street, countermarching at 
Willow, to Colony, countermarching at 
Washington, to West Main, to Capitol 
avenue, to Steuben street, to Schuetzen 
park. 

Arriving at the park Mayor Reilly 
welcomed the members of the bund to 
]\Ieriden, referring to the prominent 
part the German organizations were 
playing in the Centennial and express- 
ing the hope that the aim of the rifle- 
men at the target of good fellowship 
and good citizenship would be as true 
as at the targets on the range. 

Chairman Curtis expressed the hope 
that the visit to ^M^idcn would be thor- 



oughl}- enjoyed and the shooting festi- 
val a great success. 

The schuetzenfest was then opened 
by Ma^'or Reilly firing the first shot at 
the Centennial target and scoring a 
bull's eye, as did Selectman IMiller and 
Chairman Curtis. 

The shooting at the nine targets then 
began in earnest and continued all day. 

Elaborate preparations had been 
made by the local club for the enter- 
taining of the visitors, and it was a 
most enjoyable time. 

The make-np of the clubs was as fol- 
lows : 

Independent German Rifle company, 
of New Haven — Chas. H. Halm, cap- 
tain ; Chas. Koelle, Herman Schultz, 
Herman Glas, Harry Young, Charles 
Stelzie. E. Gerken, Carl Rosenthal, 
Fred. Horn, A. H. Donner, Wm. Kitt- 
ler, Chas. Scholl, Otto Ginz, Henry 
Konold, Chas. Wirtz, John Oed, Adam 
Uhl, Louis Uhl, Fred Reisinger. 

Hartford Schuetzen Verein — George 
Zimmer, captain : J. Sterl, J. Hunzirker, 
P. Conrad, H. Oppermann, C. D. Me- 
long, Gus. Buettner, F. Becher, J. Goetz, 
Ed Clausen, E .A. Glaus, Henry Jan- 
sen, Joe Hammer, Leo. A. Grzywacz, 
Ch Winter, Martin Schmidt, Chris Vo- 
gel. Otto Schneider. 

Taftville Rifle club — Michael Jacob, 
captain ; Richard Heller. A. Krodel, A. 
Grimms, A. E. W^riht, John IMurphy. E. 
Madden. 

Springfield Rifle clula — H. Buchholz, 
captain ; Wm. Stock, F. C. Ross, J. D. 
Anderson, G. Baer, M. Flosdorf 

New Britain Schuetzen Verein — N. J. 
Heidi, captain; W. Heidi, jr.. F. Zim- 
merman, Otto Leopohl, Geo .Duer, E. 
Mucke. P. R. Vogelgesang, Arthur Valz, 
Geo. Webber. J. Baumgartner. 

Meriden Rifle club — Ch. Heckler, cap- 
tain ; John Glassnap. Robert Philippi, 
Martin Glassnap. Chris. Glassnap. Emil 
H. Kroeber, Fritz Langner, Max Stro- 
bel, H. Winterhalder, Aug. Mever, Fred 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



155 



Weber, A. Oefinger, O. Elster, William 
Seery, W. . D. Palmer, C. G. Havens, 
F. Anschuetz, F. Yost, C. F. Fox, J. 
Kimtze, W. Corves, jr., W. Corves, sr. 
Company I, in khaki uniform present- 
ed a business-like appearance, and did 
the escort duty in a most soldierly man- 
ner. 




EMIL H. KROEBER, 
Chairman Schuetzenfest. 

All of the targets were busy and the 
men in the butts did not have an idle 
moment from the time the shoot start- 
ed until the call came for lunch. Af- 
ter an hour's rest the shooting was re- 
sumed and kept up during the day and 
was brought to a close Wednesday night 
when the large assortment of fine prizes 
were distributed among the eager ri- 
flemen and women shooters. It was 
late in the evening before all the dele- 
gates were off the grounds and on their 
wa}' to their respective homes. 

About 6 :30 p. m., all shooting ceased 
and by direction of Captain Chris Heck- 
ler all the people in the grove formed 
a grand march and made a tour 
of the park with the band in the 
lead, returning to the prize booth which 
they surrounded. 



President John Glassnapp spoke a 
few words and then introduced mem- 
bers of the schuetzenbund, who made 
eloquent speeches congratulating espe- 
cially the Meriden Rifle club on their 
generosity and hospitality. Band selec- 
tions followed the speeches and loud 
cheers were given for the local club. 

Charles Johnson, of the New Britain 
club, was awarded the king medal, hav- 
ing made the best score at the target 
of honor, sixty-seven out of a possible 
seventy-five. Miss Rose Anschuetz 
pinned the medal on Mr. Johnson's coat 
and then the band struck up a tune. 

The queen medal for the best score at 
the ladies' target of honor was awarded 
to Mrs. F. M. Zimmerman of New Brit- 
aain, who had a score of sevent\-. A. 




CHRIS GLASSNAP, 
Schuetzenfest Committee. 
/ 

R. Cooley of Springfield won the Au- 
brey shotgun and W. B. Hall, of New 
Britain, the tea set. Mrs. Jacob Sieebe, 
of Hartford and Mrs. John Goetz. of 
Hartford, were second and third win- 
ners in the queen target. 

The military medals were hotly con- 
tested for by members of the local mil- 
itia and the results, were as follows: 



156 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Captain H. B. Young, of New Haven, 
first prize gold medal ; Captain Joseph 
DeCantillon, of Company L, second 
prize, gold medal ; Private August Lu- 
schinks, Company I, third prize, silver 
medal, Captain George E. Proudnian, 



get and it took considerable time for 
the people to choose them. Almost 
every one secured a prize and went 
away well satisfied with the two days' 
outing. The next schuetzenfest will be 
held in Taftville in 1907. 




WINTHROP HOTEL, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



Company I, fourth prize, silver medal ; 
Private Ralph Palmer, silver medal ; 
Sergeant R. W. Babbitt, Company I. 
silver medal. 

There were scores of prizes for both 
ladies and gentlemen on the honor tar- 



On the general prize target which was 
for sweepstakes, the winners were M. 
Doerler, $40; Fred Ross, of Springfield, 
$30; H. P. Young, New Haven, $25. 

Two of the oldest men on the grounds 
and the most enthusiastic were Captain 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



157 



Charles Hechler of the Meriden Rifle 
duh and A. H. Merriman. The former 
is eighty-one years and the latter ac- 
knowledged that he was sevent\'-seven 
and would show some of these young 
fellows how to shoot. 

HISTORY OF MERIDEN RIFLE 
CLUB. 

Shortly after the close of the Civil 
war, about 1865, a few of the German 
residents of the city of Meriden met and 
discussed the advisability of forming a 
shooting club. Each was, in a measure, 
familiar with the handling of rifles and 
muskets. They were Christopher Han- 
del, John Theisen, Christopher Haaga, 



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C. F. FOX, 
Schuetzenfest Committee. 

August Meyer. Charles Stockder, Leo- 
pold Wolfe and Fred Muntz. The idea 
at once met with favor. The Meriden 
Rifle club was then organized. The 
first president was Christopher Handel, 
and John Theisen was the secretary. 
Only one of the organizers and charter 
members is alive. He is August Meyer, 
and he is as active as a ten-years-old 



boy, and would put the believers of Dr. 
Osier to shame. 

Of course, at the start, the club did 
not amount to much. It was new and 
the older rifle clubs in the state did not 
pay much attention to it. But that did 
not last long. In a short time the old 




JULIUS KUNTZE. 
Schuetzenfest Committee. 

fellows began to sit up and take notice. 
Something was being done in Meriden. 
Records were smashed to smithereens- 
and new ones made by the youngster. 

The first range the club had was at 
what is now called the Peter Kintz 
place, located on the South Meriden 
road. There each week the club met 
for practice. For a year they did not 
say much, but sawed a lot of wood, and 
in the meantime became more profic- 
ient in the use of the rifle. The club 
went to its first state shoot in Bridge- 
port in 1867, and surprised the natives 
of that city by carrying home the first 
prize. That was the time when the old 
fellows sat up and looked in astonish- 
ment on the newcomers. From that 
time to the present they have been reck- 
oned as something to look out for in 
the shooting line. In 1865 the club 



^58 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



made a record, and two years later in 
New Britain got another tirst prize. 

When the Meriden Rille club was in- 
corporated there were twenty-five men 
on the roster. There are now thirty- 
two active members, and all of them 
good shots. One of them has a record 




CHRIS HECKLER, 
Schuetzenfest Veteran. 

that has never been beaten. He has 
made a score of 74 out of a possible 
75. in three shots at 200 yards, and no 
sighting shots allowed. That was done 
in 1902. 

From the start the club began to 
prosper. About thirty years ago the 
club built its present home in Schuet- 
zen park, near the shadows of the 
Hanging hill, to the west of the city. 
Tt has an excellent range and a most 
delightful picnic ground. No more 
ideal spot for such a purpose could be 
found in the state. The scenery is 
magnificent and the air sublime. No 
wonder the members of the Meriden 
Rifle club make such good scores. A 
day's loitering even about the grounds 
will be well repaid with a refreshing 
night's sleep. 



As has been said before there arc 
some star shots in the Meriden Rifie 
club. First and foremost is Gottlieb 
Anschuetz, the shooting master. He 
was born in Germany and came to this 
country and Meriden twenty-seven years 
ago. Ever since he was able to toddle 
he has been accustomed to the hand- 
ling of firearms, and at present is a con- 
tractor in the Parker gun shop. He 
became a member of the club about 
twelve years ago, and at the start be- 
gan to make records. He has made a 
score on an inch and one-half bullseye 
at 200 yards that has never been 
equalled. In 1902, in three shots, he 
made 74 out of a possible 75, and that, 
too, without a sighting shot. At the 
bund shoot in Springfield last year he 




GOTTLIEB ANSCHUETZ. 
Marshal Schuetzenfest Parade 

made the highest score of the Meriden 
delegation, 58. 

Emil H. Kroeber is another excel- 
lent shot. He can pink the bullseye 
now and then when a good score is 
wanted to carry off the prize. Mr. 
Kroeber was born in Saxony, in 1872, 
and when he was a child his parents 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



159 



removed to this country, going to Dal- 
ton and then to Pittsheld, Mass. The 
family came to this city where he at- 
tended the public schools. He was a 
glass decorator until 1891 when he be- 
came a caterer, in which business he 
has prospered. He is held in the high- 
est esteem by his fellow associates and 
the people of the city. 

John E. Glasnapp is the president of 
the Meriden Rifle club. He has held 
that office for the past eight years, off 
and on, and was elected for a term in 
1901. So well has he presided over the 
■destinies of the club that since then, 
year from year, he has been returned 
to the chair. He came to Meriden in 
1876 and ten years later he joined the 
Meriden Rifle club. In that short time 
he has won two medals and this year 
he will be the shooting king. This 
year, in accordance to the rule that 
prevails among the German shooting 
societies, he is the president of the 
Southern New England Schuetzen- 
tund. 

The oldest member of the Meriden 
Rifle club is Christian Hechler. The 
age applies in the point of years, not 
m the membership of the club. He is 
eighty-one years old, and, truth to say, 
he does not look as though he had 
passed the Biblical allotment of three 
score and ten, or anywhere near that 
number. Wurtemburg, Germany, is the 
place of his nativity. He is a veteran 
of many wars in which he fought un- 
der the flag of the Hohenzollerns and 
not content with that record he had to 
make a new one in the Civil war. He 
came to this country in 1854 and at the 
breaking out of the Civil war he en- 
listed in Company H, Sixth C. V., and 
was mustered out of the service on 
September 20, 1864. Captain Hechler 
came to Meriden in March, 1858, and 
lias resided here ever since. 



August ]\Ieyer, the quartermaster of 
the Meriden Rifle club, is the only sur- 
viving charter member of that organi- 
zation. He was born in Germany and 
at the age of thirteen years, he 
came to the United States and to Meri- 
den, of course. He went to New 
Britain for a while, and then came 
back to this city, when he entered the 
employ of E. IMiller & Co. and has 
been with that concern ever since. 



One of the most enthusiastic mem- 
bers of the Meriden Rifle club for the 
success of the schuetzenfest is Andrew 
Oeflnger. He is one of the committee 
of arrangements and from the begin- 
ning to the present has been most ac- 
tive in pushing the shootfest to a suc- 
cessful issue. He is a native of Ger- 
many and in 1877 he chose Meriden as 
his home. Mr. Oefinger is one of the 
best shots in the club and will be on the 
team this year. For the past fifteen 
years he has been employed in the fac- 
tory of the Miller Bros. Cutlery com- 
pany. 



William H. Seerj-, the ex-chief of the 
Meriden fire department, is too well 
known to the people of this city for any 
extended comment, as he says. He is 
not so old as some people might think. 
It is when he picks up a rifle that he 
shows he is just as young as the rest 
of them. At the fest in July 6-7, 1903, 
he won the title of shooting king, some- 
thing that is not to be sneezed at. 



The secretary of the Meriden Rifle 
club is Robert Phillippi. He was born 
in Germany, where, indeed, they teach 
the young to shoot, and in a short time 
after his arrival in this city he joined 
the Meriden Rifle club. He has made a 
few records but since the time he was 
elected to the secretaryship of the club 
he has not had the time to devote to 
the practice. Time after time he has 
been elected to his present position and 
from all appearances it looks as though 
he will die in the harness. He is a 
good man and the club does not intend 
to lose him. 



Julius Kuntze, the cigar manufactur- 
er on East Main street, is one of the 
most popular members of the club. He 
was born in Germany in 1858 and came 
to the United States in i88r. He lo- 
cated in New York for a short while 
and then went to Cincinnati. After a 
few years in the west he came east 
and worked at his trade as cigarmaker 
in New Haven. Since 1893 'le has been 
a resident of Meriden where he has es- 
tablished an excellent business. Mr. 
Kuntze has been a member of the Rifle 
club for the past six years and in that 
time has made some good scores. 



i6o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



There is one person who is connected 
in a way with the Rifle club who should 
not be overlooked and that is Mrs. 
Emil Kroeber. She is no novice in the 
use of the rifle. She now holds the 
title of queen shot as at the shoot in 
Springfield last year she made seventy- 
one out of a possible seventy-five. 



Chris. F. Fox is one of the leaders of 
the Meriden Rifle club and has won 
several medals. He was born in Ger- 
many in 1861 and when he was four- 
teen years old he came with his pa- 
rents to this countr)'. He came to Mer- 
iden in 1889 and from that time has con- 



ducted a very successful business. He 
is a jMason of high degree, being a 
member of Pyramid Temple, Mystic 
Shrine, of Bridgeport. 



One of the best shots of the Meriden 
Rifle club is Christopher Glasnapp. Al- 
though a young man he has won two 
medals. He was born in New York in 
1874 and has been a member of the club 
for the past ten years. He is now the 
possessor of the gold medal, his score 
being 127 and 128 in six shots. At a 
recent practice shoot he made six bulls 
eves in succession. 




GUY RESIDENCE, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



l6l 



Wednesday, June 13 — Labor Day 



While this was officially designated as 
Labor Day in the programme still the 
Grand Army encampment and the 
Schuetzenfest, as well as the other fea- 
tures, were things of much importance. 
The crowds of the day were even great- 
er than those of yesterday, as yester- 
day's thousands outnumbered those of 
the day before. It was like Carnival 
time in Venice or Mardi Gras in New 
Orleans, with all the jollity, the crowds 
and the good humor of these great gath- 
erings. At night dense crowds surged 
along the walks in such a press that 
if one wished to move bej'ond a slow 
walk he had to take to the street. The 
bandinage, the confetti and the little 
ticklers or dusters furnished unending 
enjoyment for the thousands who kept 
up the procession until late into the 
night. 

To-day the outside crowds that had 
swelled yesterday's population came 
back for another good time and they 
brought others with them from all parts 
of the state and even Massachusetts and 
Rhode Island being well represented. 
The police arrangements were perfect, 
as was every single detail for the great 
celebration and there was no hitch in 
any department. 

In the evening there was a variety of 
amusements ; the labor celebration at 
Terrace Garden with firewor'-s, the 
Centennial concert, the fireworks up- 
town, the Midway, the street fairs and 
the various other things which made up 
a great day. 

Ideal Laljor day weather, with all its 
autumnal invigorating accompaniments, 
was what greeted the labor unions for 
their big parade and picnic. In fact, 
the perfect weather conditions which 
ushered in the morning's programme 
were but a continuation of what had 
prevailed since the Centennial opened 
its secular festivities on Mondav. 

Many of the labor men were active 
bright and early and the beautiful 
weather had an inspiring effect on the 

II 



general committee, who had been all 
wrapped up in the day's celebration for 
man}^ a week. It recalled the old-time 
Labor day demonstrations in Meriden 
when the parade was such a prominent 
feature and everybody made it a holi- 
day. The contrast, too, from the pa- 
rades held previously during the week 
was rather striking. 

Countless surprises were sprung 
when the floats began to move towards 
the starting point at City park. Some 
of them showed most artistic design 
and workmanship, besides being highly 
appropriate for the occasion, and they 
gave the parade a very unique appear- 
ance. The uniforms for the most part 
were characteristic of the trades repre- 
sented, so that all in all it was truly a 
labor day parade in its full significance. 

Prominent among the floats was that 
of the H. Wales Lines company, de- 
signed by L. C. Hiller, of Wallingford, 
formerly designer for the Meriden Sil- 
ver Plate compan}-. It was built on one 
of the company's large wagons, drawn 
by four gray horses, and represented 
archways, with a brick chimney in 
course of erection. Ben. Robinson, an 
old employe of the Lines company, and 
wearing one of Air. Lines' broad hats, 
was at work, trowel in hand, and close 
beside him were a mortar bed and ma- 
son's helper. The figures 1864 and 1906 
were in large characters, and on either 
side was the inscription : "Have not 
missed a weekly pay roll in 42 years." 

Probabh' the most unique float in the 
procession was that of R. P. Dooley. 
following the Carpenters and Joiners' 
union. It represented the four seasons, 
spring, summer, autumn and winter, and 
thirteen little girls in costumes appro- 
priate to the different seasons and also 
representing the thirten original colonies 
were seated in the float and a frequent 
refrain of the young vocalists was "Mr. 
Dooley," the song that everybody used 
to sing at one time. The display of 
stuffed birds and animals was all the 



l62 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



handiwork of Mr. Dooley, and repre- 
sented weeks of time in getting it to- 
gether. 

James Kane also had a big float in 
line, immediately following the Brick- 
layers and Masons' union. The in- 
scription, which occupied a conspicuous 
place, was : 




A. P. DOSSIN, 
Chairman General Committee. 

"Meriden's champion, James Kane, 
for a wager laid 3.500 bricks in five 
hours and thirty-five minutes, on an 
eight-inch wall, July 26, 1886. at 
Bridgeport, Conn." 

The Cigar Makers' union had an at- 
tractive float, giving a cut of the 
union's label and containing a number 
of the union's mottoes. 

The John F. Butler company's float 
represented a Roman architectural de- 
sign, brought down to modern times, 
and it attracted a good deal of atten- 
tion. 

To the Carpenters and Jomers' union 
is the credit due for having the largest 
number of floats, representing any one 
trade in the procession and there were 
some pretty ones, notably those of 
Morehouse Bros., with men at work; 



M. Charest, with a joiner shop and 
part of a blacksmith shop in operation ; 
M. F. Fitzgerald, decorated wagon with 
ten little girls in white; W Lanoue, 
house in miniature; W F. Miller, Z. 
J. St. Cyr, A. J. Lyman and Garry 
Bloomfield, all with decorated wagons 
and trade designs. 

Next to the master carpenters and 
joiners, in point of numbers with floats, 
were the master painters and decorat- 
ors. Besides the Butler company, Lit- 
tle, Somers & Hyatt had a fine dis- 
play, with Artie Harris impersonating 
L^ncle Sam, surrounded by a number 
of Columbia's daughters. Flynn's float 
was another that showed the artistic 
skill of painter in design and finish. 
The group of little boys in white, 
showy uniforms was a distinguishing 




W. F. LANGE. 
Secretary General Committee. 

feature. J. Lacourciere was also in line 
with a decorated wagon. 

There were likewise a large number 
of hacks in line, containing in some 
cases representatives of local unions, 
who were unable to turn out in a body 
and also delegations from outside 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



163 



unions. Many of the out of town 
union men fell right in with the other 
crafts to which they were affiliated 
Every one of the twenty-three organi- 
zations making up the Central Labor 
union was in some way represented 
in the parade. 




GEORGE J. STANLEY, 
Marshal and Treasurer. 

Prominent among the visitors were 
the Danbury hatters, 200 representa- 
tives of the different branches of the 
union being in line and making a most 
creditable appearance. In addition 
there were twelve delegates from the 
Central Labor union, bartenders and 
other union representatives, so that 
Danbury will surely be in high feather 
with Meriden labor unions for all 
times to come. 

THE PARADE STARTS. 

The delay in starting the parade was 
due to the arrival of the Danbury vis- 
itors on the 10:20 train. The time had 
been arranged for 10:30 but it was 
11:15 before the column began to move. 
Most of the unions had their positions 
around City park before the Danbury 
men were escorted to the rendezvous. 



The parade was made up in the fol- 
lowing order: 

Grand Marshal, G. J. Stanley. 

Police escort. 

Meriden Military band, T. H. Ma- 
guire, leader. 

Carpenters and Joiners, George 
Wiggins, marshal, 120 men. 

Floats — R. P. Dooley, Morehouse 
Bros., M. Charest, W. Lanoue, W. F. 
Miller, M. F. Fitzgerald, Z. J. St. Cyr, 
A. J. Lyman, Garry Bloomfield. 

Painters and decorators, Fred Gol- 
nick, marshal, 155 men. 

Floats— John F. Butler Co., Little, 
Somers & Hyatt, G. H. Flynn, J. La- 
courciere. 

Meriden plumbers, J. J. Liddy, mar- 
shal, 50 men. 




H. C. KLEIN, 
General Financial Secretary. 

New Haven plumbers, 25 members. 

Pulaski Drum corps. 

Bricklayers and ^Masons, R. F. Mor- 
rissey, marshal, 80 men. 

Floats — James Kane, H. Wales Lines 
Co. 

Building Laborers, Frank Stevens, 
marshal, 75 men. 



164 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Electrical Workers, J. Richardson, 
marshal, 35 men ; S. N. E. Telephone 
company's decorated wagon. 

Sheet Metal Workers, twenty mem- 
bers in full conve\ance. 

Slate Roofers in team. 

Meriden City band, John Fearnley, 
leader. 




AIAURICE SULLIVAN. 
Recording Secretary C. L. U. 

Cigar Makers, Julius Stremlau, mar- 
shal, 35 men. 

Float — Union label, decorated wagon. 

Grinders, Edward White, marshal, 30 
men. 

Typographical union, members and 
visitors in carriages. 

Buffers and Polishers, Wallingford 
union, J. F. Kenney, marshal, 75 men. 

Meriden union, J. F. Madden, mar- 
shal, 150 men. 

Bartenders' union, Meriden, Danbury, 
Hartford, Waterbury, Middletown, 
New Britain and Williman'^ic represen- 
tatives in carriages. 

Butchers' clerks, officers in carriages. 

Barbers, visiting delegates in car- 
riages. 

Brewery workers, M. Kelly, marshal, 
25 men. 



Brewery company's four horse 
wagon. 

Printing Pressmen, W. H. Marshall, 
mounted marshal, visitors in carriages. 
Meriden Fife and Drum Band. 
Iron Molders. 
Dennis Costello, Marshal, 125 Men. 
Bakers in Carriages. 
Retail Clerks in Carriages. 
Kennedy Drum Corps, Danbury. 
Danbury Hatters. 
Capt. Simon Blake, Marshal, 200 Men. 
With the formation of the parade on 
Camp and Franklin streets, the line of 
march was to Center, to Pratt, to Cat- 
lin, to East Main, to Colony, to Camp, 
countermarch to West Main, to North 
First, to Hanover, to Terrace Garden, 
where the picnic was promplty inaugu- 
rated to be continued well into the 
night. 




FRANK K. FOSTER, 
Orator Labor. 

MAYOR REILLY SPEAKS. 

The garden was comfortably crowded 
in the afternoon about 2 o'clock when 
Mayor Reilly formally opened the pic- 
nic with the following address : 

After extending a welcome to labor 
men in behalf of the city. Mayor Reil- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



165 



ley said that it was most appropriate » 
that organized labor should take the 
prominent part it has taken in the Cen- 
tennial, for the Centennial was a 
graphic object lesson of what organized 
labor meant. 

"If the labor connected with this 
Centennial had not been organized and 




F. SCHEURER, 
Chairman Picnic Committee. 

well organized, there would have been 
no Centennial to bring you together to- 
day," he said, "everything would have 
been in a chaotic state, and in the end 
nothing would have been accomplished. 
Those supposed to have charge of cer- 
tain things would be working at cross 
purposes and all would be confusion. 
It was only by organizing the affair 
thoroughly, having the details carefully 
attended to, and having it under com- 
petent officials that the whole proposi- 
tion has been brought to a successful 
issue. 

"So it is with any matter involving 
labor. There must be organization or 
there will be nothing accomplished. 
What applies to big undertakings or 
special occasions applies to labor in the 



industrial world. Tf) be effective, to 
obtain the best results, for itself and 
those in any way connected with it, 
there must be thorough organization 
and efficient and honest management. 
This lesson of the Meriden Centennial 
should not be lost. 

"It is most proper, too, that the labor 
unions of Meriden should be identified 
so prominently with the celebration as 
it is identified to-day, for it is to labor, 
associated with capital, that Meriden 
owes its life as a flourishing industrial 
community; for few cities have less 
natural facilities for growth than our 
hill encircled home. It is the co-oper- 
ation of labor with capital that has 
made Meriden worthy of celebrating its 
Centennial. May the good feeling 




ALEX HART, 
Chairman Music Committee. 

now existing continue, and may the let- 
ters on your banner (C. L. U.), mean 
not only Central Labor Union, but 
Central Labor Unity." , 

STATE president's ADDRESS. 

President Charles F. Donahue, of the 
State Federation of Labor, was next 



i66 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



introduced by President Albert Dos- 
sin of the Central Labor Union. 

He spoke for about ten minutes on 
the condition of labor at the present 
time as compared with loo years ago. 

He dwelt at some length on legisla- 
tive conditions and the rtifficultv labor 



General Assembly out of a membership 
of 255, which showed, said the speak- 
er, the disadvantages the labor people 
have to contend with. 

President Donahue spoke of the la- 
bor laws in the other states and the 
advantages the working people of 




BUECHLER BLOCK, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



men have in obtaining favor, as out of 
the 128 towns in Connecticut, Mr. Don- 
ahue said that about forty of them were 
manufacturing towns where ninety per 
cent, of the people of the state reside 
and those towns have only eighty rep- 
resentatives in the lower house of the 



Massachusetts had over their Connec- 
ticut brethren in the courts on damage 
suits. 

The speaker said that the legislative 
committee propose to work harder than 
ever to have the labor laws of Connec- 
ticut brought up to the standard of 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



167 



Other states during he nex General As- 
sembly. 

F. K. Foster's address. 

The principal speaker of the after- 
noon was Frank K. Foster, of Boston, 
whose subject was: "Trade Unions, in 
Their Civil Relationship," and his ad- 
dress was as follows: 




O. R. BRANDENBERGER, 

President Typographical. 

"The citizens of your thriving and 
beautiful city are to be congratulated 
upon the civic good sense displayed by 
them in inviting the organizations of 
labor to join in this celebration. Es- 
pecially is this true at this period, when 
certain misguided people, under the 
baleful influence of the Citizens" Alli- 
ance, are advocating a policy of hos- 
tility and repression towards the ef- 
forts of associated labor. There is 
nothing more hostile to our American 
conception of democracy than the at- 
tempt to arouse an embittered class 
feeling whether it emanates from men 
like Parry or Post or from those in 
the ranks of labor who declaim against 
all property rights and property hold- 
ers. 



"There is surely no portion of any 
community having naturally a deeper 
concern as to all that goes to make up 
its general welfare than the men who 
live by selling their daily labor for 
daily bread. The workman is moro 
than any one else dependent for the 
comfort of himself and family upon the 
nature of the civic administration un- 
der which he lives. 

"A rich man can send his children 
to private schools, but the eductaion of 
the poor man's child rests with the pub- 
lic institutions of learning, for which 
your state has been so long and justly 
renowned. 

"The rich man can hire attendants to 
look after his personal safety; an ef- 
ficient police is essential for the secur- 
ity of the workman's family. 

"The rich man's family may spend 
the time abroad or at fashionable re- 




H. C. MAYDWELL. 
Secretary Typographical. 

sorts in his own land, but the family 
of the workman lives in the commun- 
ity the year around and the purity of 
the water supply, the facilities of trans- 
portation, the cleanliness and lighting 
of the streets, the quality of the public 



1 68 



CENTENNIAL OF INIERIDEN. 



institutions and u hundred and one oth- 
er details tlnis become a matter of 
greater personal moment to those 
whose entire exisence is expended 
among them. 

"So, also, no one is more affected by 
an extravagant or inefficient adminis- 




R. F. MORRISSEY, 
President Bricklayers & Masons. 

istration than the man of limited 
means. If the public money is squan- 
dered and the tax rate increased he 
ultimately, by increased rents and costs 
of living, has to bear the largest por- 
tion of the burden. 

"But if this concern of the manual 
laborer and responsibility for the civic 
well-being is apparent, it is equally 
evident that so is his cairn for recogni- 
tion as an honorable factor in all that 
goes to make up a city's greatness — 
its enterprise, its development, its his- 
tory. As it was said of ancient Ath- 
ens, not her walls but her men con- 
stituted her real defences, so it may be 
said to-day that the real glory of a 
city consists not merely in its busy 
mills and marts of trade, its fine build- 
ings and palatial residences, l)ut in the 
standard of life reached by the masses 
within its gates. 



'■ 'Cloud-capped palaces and solemn 
temples," splendid architecture and 
beautif'il works of art, have existed 
in all ages, side by side with the mis- 
erable dwellings of the poor. Even 
the republics of old time were erected 
on a foundation of slaves. It has re- 
mained for our own age, under the in- 
spiration of free institutions and free 
men, to lift up the level of life of the 
industrious poor and to give oppor- 
tunity to all. 

"And this brings us to the consider- 
ation of the part played by the asso- 
ciations of labor in the improvement 
of social and industrial conditions. 
With all due and proper estimate of 
all other influences which have worked 
together to this end, it must be con- 
ceded that the trade union has been 
a poent and powerful agent in securing 




CHARLES M. NELLIS, 
President Barbers'. 

material and moral benefits to the 
wage-earner. 

"The last half century, even the past 
few years, has worked a marvelous 
change in the way the organization of 
labor is regarded by enlightened com- 
munities. I have just been reading the 



CKXTRNNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



169 



new work of George Howell, one of 
the British trade union pioneers, upon 
the early history of the movement, and 
in America, as in Great Britain, the 
early unions suffered prosecution and 
gross injustice. One instance of this 
in particular, stands out vividly in a 




TOM^IASO D. BUONO. 
Secretary Barbers'. 

long line of similar cases, i. e., where 
seven laborers in Dorchester, England, 
were transported as criminals upon no 
other charge than that they had or- 
ganized themselves into a society for 
their mutual protection. That era 
would surely have been a gladsome 
time for our friends of the Citizens' al- 
liance. 

"But the trade union is as much an 
organic growth as any other social in- 
stitution and it has come to stay. Over 
seven millions of English speaking peo- 
ple now carry trade union cards. The 
union is now not alone conceded to be 
morally justified. 

"We do not assert that all these or- 
ganizations are always conducted with 
the greatest wisdom or that the union 
leaders do not make mistakes, for all 



human institutions are fallible and all 
men liable to err. but we do claim that 
for honesty of motive, loftiness of pur- 
pose and power of conferring benefits, 
the trade union movement has few 
peers and no superiors among the as- 
sociations of mankind. 

"The state of Connecticut has ever 
occupied a foremost position among 
the American commonwealths. Its 
early conception was broad and liberal, 
less theocratic than that of the other 
New England colonies. Her institu- 
tions were democratic, her citizenship 
intelligent, her mechanics* unexcelled 
in skill, her patriots numerous and high 
minded. The land of the judicious 
Hooker and the wise Wolcott may 
well continue to develop along tolerant 
lines. No reactionary policy should be 
able to take root here as to the great 
industrial problem which looms upon 
the horizon." 




j().sl':Pll MA'l'.Uill, 
President Building Laborers'. 

HISTORY OF MERIDEN LABOR 
UNIONS. 
Meriden has for over twenty years 
been considered one of the strongest 
labor union cities in Connecticut, and 
the organizations were never on a more 



170 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



solid basis or more widely distributed 
among the workingmen of various 
crafts than at the present time. Every 
union in the city is affiliated with the 
Central Labor Union, and the twenty- 
three locals represented in the parade, 
vied with one another for some time in 
making the Centennial Labor demon- 
stration an important event of the 
week. 



cient young chairman and president of 
the Central Labor union. Albert P. Dos- 
sin, as well as every member of the 
committee. 

THE GENERAL COMMITTEE. 

The following is the. efficient list of 
officers and delegates of the various 
unions making up the above committee. 

A. P. Dossin, chairman; Joseph Tra- 




JOURNAL OFFICE, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



On the general committee, made up 
of delegates to the central body, were 
the recognized hustlers of the local 
unions, and on them devolved the ar- 
duous task of arranging all the de- 
tails in connection with the parade and 
picnic. The thorough manner in which 
they have performed their duties re- 
flected volumes of praise on the effi- 



han, vice-chairman ; W. F. Lange, sec- 
retary ; George J. Stanley, treasurer ; H. 
C. Klein financial secretary; F. Scheur- 
er, Vendal Stumpf. Maurice Sullivan, 
Ed. N. White, William Wass, William 
McCarthy, John Cody, Alex. Hart, Wil- 
liam Gannon, John Madden, Joseph Mc- 
Veigh, Peter Lyman, John J. Morris- 
sey, Martin Nill, Charles Murphy, Wil- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



171 



Ham Fitzgerald, Charles Nellis, George 
Gallon, Charles Arnold, John Nash, R. 
P. Ditman, J. B. Dunlop, George Smith, 
P. H. McLaughlin, P. F. Smith, T. F. 
Sullivan, C. G. Havens, Joseph Heck, 
Fred. Penfield, H. W. Sehl, Jr., W. The- 
bo, Charles Stremlau, Eugene Shea, 
Frank McNabb. 




STEPHEN DOLAN, 
President Carpenters' & Joiners'. 

SUB-COMMITTEES. 

The General committee .•were sub- 
divided as follows : 

Souvenir — Chas. Stremlau, M. Sulli- 
van. A. P. Dossin, Geo. Stanley, T. F. 
Sullivan, H. W. Sehl, Jr., W. F. Lange. 

Parade — Geo. Stanle}-, AI. Sullivan, 
H. C. Klein, Wm. Fitzgerald, Chas. Ar- 
nold. 

Picnic — Jos. McVeigh, John Nash, F. 
Scheurer, Wm Fitzgerald, Fred. Pen- 
field, H. C. Klein. 

Invitation and Reception — P. F. 
Smith, Wm. Waas, H. C. Klein, Wm. 
McCarthy, Chas. Nellis. 

Sports — Joseph Trahan. R R. Dit- 
man, Chas. Stremlau, P. F. Smith, Ed. 
N. White. 

Press— H. W. Sehl, Jr, A P. Dossin, 
P F. Smith. 



Music— Alex. Hart, John Cody, M. 
Sullivan, John Nash, Wm. Fitzgerald. 

FIR.T LABOR MOVEMENT. 

As early as 1880 Meriden had labor 
organizations representing individual 
trades, such as the Iron Molders, 
Bricklayers and Masons and Hod Car- 
riers, each looking after its own inter- 
ests, but the first step taken towards 
a concentrated labor union movement 
here was about 1883, when the Knights 
of Labor was started. It was like a 
contagious disease, for in a short time 
it spread so rapidly that the whole town 
seem impregnated with the K. of L. 
K. OF L., NO. 2,501. 

An organizer was sent to Meriden 
from the K. of L. headquarters, and as 
a result of his labors Mechanics' As- 
sembly, No. 2,501, was instituted in the 




MICHAEL AIOORE. 
President Retail Clerks'. 

old Circle hall on Colony street. The 
Knights of Labor admitted every one 
to membership except lawyers and liq- 
uor dealers, and a good deal of amuse- 
ment was occasioned by the barring of 
these two professions. The lawyers 
wondered why they should be classed 
with the saloon men and vice versa. 



172 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Mechanics' Assembly continued to 
grow in membership until it became 
600 strong, and as politics was the pre- 
dominating feature of the order the 
assembly was at once reorganized as 
a political power. In fact a test was 
given in the election of two members 




J. P. TWINING, 
Secretary Cigar Makers'. 

as representatives to the General As- 
sembly. George O. Higby was the 
candidate chosen on the Democratic 
ticket and his associate was William 
Wallace Lee, whose nomination had 
really been forced on the Republican 
party by the Knights of Labor. It 
was in this way the power of the K. 
of L. was shown, by electing a man 
on each of the tickets. 

Prominent among the early members 
in Mechanics' assembly was the late 
Samuel C. Camp, the first master work- 
man ; E. C. Bingham, the second chief 
officer, who has since taken up farm- 
ing in Cheshire, and R. H. Guilmont. 
of 487 West Main street, who was also 
a master workman and one of the 
strongest advocates of the K. of L. 
principles. The present city and town 
clerk, Herman Hess, was likewise on 



the roll of membership, and it was> 
really the influence back of the K. of 
L. that prompted him to accept, with a 
good deal of reluctance, his first polit- 
ical nomination from the Democrats. 
He was successful from the start and 
has never yet suffered a political de- 
feat. 

DIFFERENT ASSEMBLIES FORM. 

But there came a cry for trades' as- 
semblies about the time that Mechan- 
ics' assembly was at the height of its 
prosperity, and the Metal Workers, 
Burnishers, Polishers and Buffers and 
other crafts soon organized under their 
own K. of L. banner. Such a move- 
ment naturally drained the membership 
of Mechanics" assembly and it then lost 
its prestige. 




VENDAL STL'MPE, 
President Bakers'. 

The Knights of Labor boomed for 
four or five years in Meriden but a 
period of disintegration came on, and 
about 1889 the K. of L. practically broke 
up in this city. The order was after- 
wards reorganized here, but did not 
last long. Through all the troubles the 
Polishers' and Buffers' assembly, the 
banner one in Meriden, remained firm 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



173 



to the K. of L., and it was not until 
the American Federation of Labor had 
gained supreme mastery in the state 
and the membership considered it to 
their detriment to hold out any longer 
that the Polishers withdrew from the 
K. of L. and enrolled under the F. 
of L. 




J. J. LIDDY, 

President Plumbers'. 

When the Knights of Labor had be- 
come strongly intrenched in Meriden 
there was also a central body known as 
the Central Labor union, and in justice 
to the K. of L. it might be said that 
that order prepared the way for the 
movement which led to the big labor 
day demonstrations since 1890. Many 
of the old K. of L. members have re- 
mained steadfast to the labor unions 
under the American Federation of La- 
bor, and even now some of the strong 
K. of L. principles are being pushed to 
the front. 

CENTRAL LABOR UNION. 

The Meriden Central Labor union 
was organized September 21, 1890, and 
has a general oversight of all the af- 
filiated unions in Meriden. There are 



twenty-three unions affiliated with the 
central body as follows : 

Bakers No. 60, Barbers No. 88, Bar- 
tenders No. 159, Brass Molders 167, 
Brewery Workers No. 51, Bricklayers 
and Masons No. 9, Buffers and Polish- 
ers No. 88, Building Laborers, No. 12, 
Carpenters and Joiners No. 920, Cigar- 
makers No. 484, Retail Clerks No. 56, 
Electrical Workers, No. 351, Iron Mold- 
ers No. 74, Meat Cutters No. 67, Mus- 
ical No. 55, Painters and Decorators 
No. 685, Plumbers No. 21, Printing 
Pressmen No. 156, Stereoiypers No. — , 
Street Railway Employes No. 163, 
Teamsters No. 169, Typographical No. 
314, Grinders, No. 15. 

The officers are as follows : President, 
Albert P. Dossin ; Recording Secretary, 
M. Sullivan ; Treasurer, George J. Stan- 
ley; Vice President, Joseph Trahan; 




P. F. SMITH, 
Secretary Plumbers'. 

Financial Scecretary. Charles Arnold ; 
Sergeant-at-Arms, W. F. Lange. 

3UIL1)ING LABORERS, NO. 12. 

The Building Laborers' union of Mer- 
iden was first organized in April, 1880, 
and is the oldest labor organization in 



174 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




BRUNSWICK HOTEL, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



175 



the city. Its first officers were William 
Cross, president; Thos. Dorgan, vice- 
president; Michael Cotter, secretary; 
Roderick Whalen, treasurer; Harry 
Brewster, Thomas Clarke, Denis Mur- 
phy, executive committee. 

After three years it disbanded, but 
in 1887 reorganized with Wm. Cross. 




O. G. HAUSCHILD, 
President Iron Molders". 

president; Roderick Whalen, vice-pres- 
ident; Charles Whitney, secretary; 
Bernard Ames, treasurer. The follow- 
ing year it was represented at the con- 
vention where the International organ- 
ization was organized-. It was always 
affiliated with the Central Labor union, 
and its delegates took an active part 
in all questions that came before that 
body, always advocating supporting la- 
bor candidates for legislative eoffices. 
During its existence the condition of 
its members has been materially im- 
proved ; higher wages and shorter work 
day have been their reward. 

In 1900. through circumstances un ■ 
avoidable, the organization had to gn 
under cover, but the union spirit still 
existed, and in 1904 again vmfolded the 
banner, electing Joseph McVeigh, pres- 



ident; James Henderson, vice-presi- 
dent ; Peter Lyman, treasurer ; Frank 
Stevens, secretary. Believing that there 
was no aristocracy in the ranks of wage 
earners, and that to be successful all 
organized labor should be affiliated un- 
der one head for the good of the com- 
mon causes, the organization joined the 
B. T. C, from which it has gained many 
advantages. 

The union has seventy members in 
good standing and is in good financial 
condition, in harmony with all mason 
contractors ; having an agreement 
signed for one year. 

carpenters' and joiners' no. 920. 

The local union, No. 920, of the 
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and 
Joiners of America, was reorganized Oc- 
tober 9, 1901, the first union. No 49. 





'■'•■ '^^^^^^^^& 


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j| 




pHm^i 






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iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiyiitiitJiiiiiiiii, 





HENRY J. HART, 
President Meat Cutters'. 

having lapsed by reason of hard times 
and little or no work, but in justice to 
49, it must be said, they were amon.? 
the pioneers in the labor movements in 
the city, and by their hard work and 
good judgment they laid the solid foun- 
dation and furnished material for the 
new one. 



176 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



One of the members of 49, C. E. Wil- 
liams, seeing the need of organizing, se- 
cured the first forty members with their 
contributions and the new union was put 
to work witli the past experience as a 
guide ; they have pushed ahead and to- 
day they hold the best of feeling with 
contractors in the city, and with the 




GEORGE LIDDELL, 
Secretary Meat Cutters'. 

public in general, taking an active part 
in all matters pertaining to the welfare 
of the city, and in securing the best 
men to serve in public office. The first 
officers of 920 were J. F. Hart, presi- 
dent; Fred Holman, vice-president; E. 
Elmendorf, recording secretary ; H. E. 
Tracy, financial secretary ; H. Stecker, 
treasurer. 

polishers' and buffers', no. 8. 
The Buffers' and Polishers' union 
was organized July 6, 1886, and i.'? one 
of the oldest and strongest in Meriden 
At the time of its organization the 
Knights of Labor was in its prime, and 
was under able leadership, and a most 
progressive organization it proved to be 
in matters of legislation affecting the 
interests of labor, and took a very active 



part in agitating that in order to get 
justice labor must elect her own repre- 
sentatives, and Meriden and several of 
the larger towns in the state did so. 
In the following two or three sessions 
of the legislature the K. of L. had twen- 
ty-five to thirty members in the hou^e. 
and it was during that time that most 
of the important labor laws were passed, 
such as the weekly payment law, the 
prohibition of child labor in factories 
and mills, etc. 

The Buffers 'and Polishers' union 
was also one of the organizers of the 
Central Labor union, and has since been 
one of the staunchest supporters. 

The Metal Polishers, Buffers, Platers, 
Brass Moulders and Brass and Silver 
Workers' International Union of North 
America pledge themselves to labor 
unitedly in behalf of the following prin- 




GEORGE ODLUM, 
President Grinders'. 

ciples : Reduction in hours of the work- 
day, enhancement of wages, municipal 
ownership of all public utilities, govern- 
ment ownership of national monopolies 
and abolition of government by in- 
junction in controversies between cap- 
ital and labor. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



177 



BRICKLAYERS AND MASONS , NO. 9. 

The Bricklayers" and Masons' union. 
No. 9, of Connecticut, local branch of 
the International union of America, was 
organized March 28, 1887, with six char- 
ter members. 

The first president was Robert Ougb- 
ton, an old mason contractor, now dead, 




JOHN CONRAD KLRZ, 
President Brewery Workers'. 

and the vice-president was B. A. Rob 
inson, who is still in the ranks. 

The union has always been in good 
financial condition, has never had any 
strike on its hands or trouble of any 
kind with the boss masons, always tr} 
ing to treat everybody fairly, and onlv 
asking for the same treatment in re- 
turn. The union is affiliated w'ith the 
Building Trades Council, and the C. L 
U. The present officers are : 

President, R. F. Morrissey; vice- 
president, Wm. Seibert; recording sf'c- 
retary, A. Greenwood ; financial secre 
tary, Charles M. Arnold; treasurer. 
William L. Moses; sergeant-at-arm,s, 
John Clancy. 

barbers', no. 88. 

The local branch of the Journeymen 
Barbers' International Union of .Am^-r- 

12 



ica, was organized in 1890 by ten of 
the leading barbers of Meriden and in- 
cludes all the better class of barbers in 
the city, excepting those in the cheap 
and unsanitary barber shops. The work 
of the union has been in the intere--^ 
of patrons as well as members in the 
matter of clean and sanitary condi- 
tions, and members are benefited by 
shorter hours of labor and the aboli- 
tion of Sunday work. 

teamsters', no. 169. 
The Teamsters' union was organized 
on June 21, 1900, and affiliated with the 
International Teamsters' union of 
America. At the recent Turner hall 
fire, its charter, books and supplies were 
destroyed, and shortly after, with the 
assistance of the national organizer and 
the Central Labor union, reorganized 




R. P. WHITNEY, 
President Pressmen's Union. 

at meetings held in St. Jean's hall, and 
is now making good progress with an 
increased membership. 

brass molders, no. 167. 
The Brass Molders' union was re- 
organized on June 19, 1901, with a mem- 
bership ■ of forty-eight, and affiliatv-r. 



178 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




HEADQUARTERS MERIDEN EAGLES, SHOWIXG DECORATIONS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



179 



with the National union of the Metil 
Polishers. Buffers. Platers, Brass Work- 
ers and Brass Molders of North Amer- 
ica. 

The Brass Molders' union took a 
prominent part in the organization of 
the Central Labor union fifteen years 
ago, and also in the Labor day parados 
that followed. The union, at the pres- 




J. H. TRAHAN. 
Vice Chairman. 

ent time, has an increased membership 
and is in a prosperous condition. 
bartenders', no. 150. 

On March 10, 1901, about forty men 
following the occupation of bartending, 
assembled in Musical union hall, on 
State street, for the purpose of organ- 
izing themselves into a fraternal society, 
to be known as Local, No. 159, a branch 
of Hotel and Restaurant Employes, In- 
ternational Alliance, and Bartenders' In- 
ternational League of America. Their 
object was to lift up their standing in 
the community, further the interest of 
their employers, and better their own 
conditions in time of sickness or dis- 
tress. 

The present officers are : 



President, Wm. Gannon ; vice-presi- 
dent, Edward O'Brien ; recording 3ec- 
retary, Oscar Funke ; secretary and 
treasurer. John C. Hoban ; inspector, 
John Mead;' inside guard, William Ru- 
dolph; chaplain, Joseph McCallan; 
board of trustees, James Lyon, chair- 
man ; James Cashman, Joseph Gilbert. 

BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL. 

The Building Trades council is or- 
ganized along the same lines as the 
Central Labor union, and is composed 
e.xclusively of unions employed in the 
building trades, all of which are also 
affiliated with the Central Labor union, 
the object of which is to more closely 
unite and concentrate their efforts to 
protect and promote their interests with 
regard to number of hours of daily la- 
bor and rate of wages. 




C. W. STRILMLAU, 
Chairman Souvenir Committee 

Also for the better protection of life 
and limb in their daily occupation ; 
against the use of cheap and danger- 
ous stagings, scaffoldings, etc., used by 
a certain class of contractors in the 
construction and repairing of buildings. 



i8o 



CENTENNIAL OF M1:KI1)EN. 



The State I-'ederatioii of Labor, at the 
request of unions employed in building 
trades, presented in the legislature of 
1897, a bill, the provisions of which 
were to guard against these dangers 
and similar to laws passed by otner 
states, and was ably supported by in- 
terested union men, and at the hearing 
before the Committee on Labor it was 
shown that only a few weeks previous a 
painter in Hartford lost his life by a 
defective staging giving way upon 
which he was working, and falling to 
the ground, was instantly killed. But, 
notwithstanding the merits of this bil'. 
the lobbying of its opponents against 
it was successful, and it met with de- 
feat. Life and limb in their estimation 
was cheaper than extra precaution and 
a few e.xtra pieces of material. 

The affiliated unions are: Bricklay- 
ers and Masons, Carpenters and Join- 
ers, Painters and Decorators, Building 
Laborers, Electrical Workers, Plumb- 
ers and Sheet Metal Workers. 

Secretary P. F. Smith, of the Plumb- 
ers' union, is chairman of the Build- 
ing Trades council. 

THE ALLIED PRINTING TRADES. 

The Allied Printing Trades council 
is also organized along the same lines 
as the Building Trades council, and is 
composed exclusivelv of unions 'm- 
ployed in the printing trades, all of 
which are also affiliated with the C. L. 
U. The orgain'zation was effected last 
year. 

The printing trades organizations arc 
among the oldest and most progressive 
in the country, and have accomplished 
a great deal in reducing the hours of la- 
bor by the use of their label. 

On January i. 1906, the eight hour 
day went into effect in Meriden, and the 
book and job compositors now enjoy 
the eight-hour day, like the newspaner 
men. There was no break in the friend- 
ly relations between employer and em- 
ployes when this matter was in pro- 
cess of settlement. 

PRINTING PRESSMEN, NO. 156. 

The Printing Pressmen's union was 
organized in April, 1903, and is one of 
the unions composing the Allied Prini- 
ing Trades council, and also affili;ited 
■with the Central Labor Union. 

The objects of this organization arc 
to cherish and protect the interests and 
rights as workingmen, to cultivate the 



social ties existing between members of 
the craft, thereby securing a better un- 
derstanding and fraternal feeling l)c- 
tween those who are so closely allied 
by the nature of their respective trades. 
The motto : "One for all and all for 
one." 

STEREOTYPERS', NO. 27. 

This union was organized May 24, 
1897, by the stereotypers of New Ha- 
ven. Hartford and Meriden, who had 
for some time realized that they needed 
an organization of this kind if they 
were to better the conditions under 
which they were then working. !t 
was decided to form a state organiza- 
tion, as there were not enough mem- 
bers of the craft in any one city or 
town to form a local union. The mem- 
bership was very small at the begin- 
ning, but what they lacked in numbers 
was made up in push and enthusiasm, 
so that to-day they are one of the best 
organized crafts in the state, having 
eighty-five per cent, of all the stereo- 
tvpers in the state enrolled as members. 
When it is understood that there are 
only two cities in the state where there 
are more than three eligible members 
of the craft, it will be seen that therv? 
has been a great deal of work done to 
organize a trade, the followers of whicn 
are so widely scattered. 

But their efforts have not all been 
expended in the direction of increasing 
their membership, as they have also 
succeeded in reducing the number of 
working hours and raising the standard 
of wages for themselves, with very lit 
tie friction between themselves and 
employers. 

This union is affiliated with the Al- 
lied Printing Trades council and the 
Central Labor union wherever thev 
have members. 

TYPOGRAPHICAL, NO. 314. 

The Meriden Typographical union en- 
tered the ranks as a regular labor or- 
ganization in February, 1892. and dur- 
ing the past fourteen years manv 
changes have been brought about in 
the industry, most important of which 
is the reduction of working hours per 
day. At the present time nearly all 
compositors in Meriden are enjoying 
the eight-hour schedule. 

Another matter of importance was 
the establishment of the union label in 
Meriden. which is the emblem of pur- 



CKNTEXNIAL OF MERIDKN. 



l8l 



ity, honest labor and fair conditions, 
as distinguished from the product of a 
tenement house, sweat shop and penal 
institution. This label was used until 
a few years ago, when still another ad- 
vance was made by the formation of 
the Allied Trades and the introducti')n 
of the allied label, with a view of bind- 
ing more closely the relations of the 
craft in this city. 

The following are the present ofti- 
cers of the organization : 

President, O. R. Brandenberger. 

Vice-president, E. H. Whiting. 

Secretary-treasurer, H. C. Maydwell. 

Auditors, E. H. Whiting, Jennie Wat- 
son and Edward Hart. 

Executive Committe, Thomas Law- 
lor, Antoinette Reiman, W. F. Pow- 
ers, F. W. Wiggins and Adolph Lahl. 

Delegates to Central Labor, W. 1". 
Lange, Wm. Thebo and Edward Hart. 

painters' and decorators', no. 685. 

Labor union, No. 685, Brotherhood 
of Painters, Decorators and Paperhaug- 
ers of America, was organized June 4, 
1902, with a charter membership o: 
forty. The following officers vvere 
elected: J. O. Hug^tp, pre-ident; James 
Manning, vice-president; John Wed- 
lake, financial secretary : A. Root, re- 
cording secretary ; J. Falvey, treasurer ; 
Lambert Delisle, precentor: A. Bucss, 
•conductor ; George Bailey, warden. 

The first movement towards orogress 
was made September t, 1902, employer:-; 
granting the demand that eight hours 
■constitute a day's work. 

Affiliated with the Central Labor 
union, the members have always re- 
spected the authority and leadership of 
that body. On February 17, 1903, the 
local affiliated with the Building Trades 
council, which has done good work in 
the past for the building trades of Mer- 
iden. 

March i, 1904, the minimum wa.go 
scale, $2.50 per day, was agreed upon, 
to the satisfaction of all concerned 
The local holds agreements signed bv 
practically every contractor in Meriden 
to employ none but union men, work 
union hours and pay union wages. The 
relations have always been of the friend- 
liest with bosses. 

The dues are fifty cents per montli, 
which includes an insurance in case of 
death, or wife's death, and disability 
claim, besides protection of the trade. 
The officers at the present time are. 



President, J. B. Dunlop; vice-pre.^- 
ident, A. Buess ; financial secretary, 
Wm. Williams ; recording secretary, W. 
G. Einecke ; treasurer. J. Falvey; con- 
ductor, G. Root; precentor, G. Miller: 
warden, F. N. Barber. 

ELECTRICAL WORKERS', NO. 35 1. 

The Electrical Workers' union war^ 
organized January 31, 1903. and is af- 
filiated with their National union, the 
Building Trades council and the Cen- 
tral Labor union. 

The Electrical Workers have made 
good progress in the past and at the 
present time are in a prosperous con- 
dition. 

plumbers', no. 21. 

The Plumbers' Union was organized 
May 10, 1900, and is affiliated with 
the National Association of Plumbers. 
Steam Fitters, Gas Fitters and Steam 
Fitters' Helpers of the United States 
and Canada. They are also affiliated 
with the Central Labor union and '■'ne 
Building Trades council. 

The union is at the present time in 
a prosperous condition. 

Among the officers recently elected 
were President J. J. Liddy and Record- 
ing Secretary P. F. Smith. 

bakers', no. 60. 

The Bakers' union was organized in 
1886 and now has a membership of 
twenty-six, including all the bakers of 
Wallingford, who have been affiliated 
with Local No. 60 for some time past. 

In 1893 a bill was presented in rhe 
Connecticut legislature regulating the 
sanitary conditions and hours of labor, 
but was defeated ; again by the same 
party in 1897 and after a hard fight 
finallv passed. The general public, as 
well as consumer, have reason to feel 
grateful to the labor unions for their 
good work in the interests of public 
health and safety and humanity. 

They have just signed new contracts 
with the master bakers and they feel 
that thev are now working under bet- 
ter conditions than ever before. 

MEAT cutters', NO. 67. 

The Meat Cutters union was organ- 
ized in December, 1899. It has nearly 
all of the butchers' clerks enrolled ni 
its membership. They have always tak- 
en an active part in bettering the coti- 
ditions of their craft, and since organ- 
ized have improved their conditions 



l82 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



grcatlv. reducing the hours of labor, 
and helping to support and encourage 
all movements which are for the good 
and welfare of the laboring class. 

The officers at the present time are : 
President, H. C. Hart; vice-president, 
Joseph Hirst; secretary, George Lid- 
dell; treasurer, William Gorman. 
MUSICAL, NO. 55. 

The Meriden Musical Protecti^-e 



its seventeenth anni\'ersary last May. 

The union also took a promincr.L 
part in the organization of the Central 
Labor union. 

It has jurisdiction over towns within 
a radius of ten miles, and has members 
in Middletown, Wallingford, South- 
ington and New Britain. 

IREWERY workers', NO. 5I. 

The Brewerv Workers' union wai 




RECORD BUILDING, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



union was organized on May 29, 1881), 
and affiliated with the American Fed- 
eration of Musicians in June, 1900, 
which organization is composed of 
about 350 local unions, and a member- 
ship of about 40,000. 

The Meriden Musical union feels 
proud of the distinction of being the 
oldest one in the state, and celebrated 



organized in 1894, and affiliated with 
the National union of the United 
Brewery Workers of the United States. 
This union has accomplished a great 
deal in the matter of improving their 
condition by reducing the number of 
long and weary hours which they were 
formerly called on to work, and also, 
by increasing their wages. 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



183 



John Conrad Kurz is president of the 
organization. 

RETAIL clerks', NO. 56. 

The Retail Clerks' union was organ- 
ized in June, 1901, by I. A. Sullivan, 
who was afterwards elected mayor of 
Hartford. The union is affiliated with 
the national organization which is coni- 
1 posed of about 1,000 locals throughout 
the United States and Canada, and has 
about 50,000 members. 

To the Clerks' union belongs the cred- 
it of having the stores close on certain 
evenings and holidays. The union is 
also affiliated with the Central Labor 
union. 

iRON HOLDERS, NO. 74. 

The Iron Molders' union is one of 
the oldest in Meriden, and is affiliated 
with the Iron Molders' union of North 
America, which was organized in Phil- 
adelphia, July 5, 1852, by Local, No. i, 
of that city, and Local No.' 2 of Troy, 
N. Y., and has had a continuous exist- 
ence since that time, and is now one 
of the strongest organizations in the 
country. 

The Meriden Local was one of t'lc 
organizers of the Central Labor union, 
and took a .prominent part in all the 
Labor day parades here, and at the 
present time is in good condition finan- 
cially and numerically. The officers 
are: President, O. G. Hauschild; vice- 
president, Wm. F. McCarthy ; financial 
secretary, John Maloney; recording 
secretary, P. H. Costello; treasurer, 
John Meade; corresponding representa- 
tive, Michael P. Meade; inductor, Wm. 
T. Waas; doorkeeper, J. J. Murray. 

STREET RAILWAY EMPLOYES', NO. 163. 

The Meriden Street Railway Em- 
ployes' union was organized in 1802 
and was at that time affiliated with and 
working under the laws and jurisdic- 
tion of the Knights of Labor. But 
when that organization passed out of 
existence, they were reorganized under 
the American Federation of Labor and 
became a part of the Amalgamated As- 
sociation of Street Railway Employes 
of America. 



During its history the union has 
brought about a great many reforms, 
such as shorter work days, from fou:"- 
teen and fifteen hours to ten and eleven 
hours per day, and an increase in wages 
from sixteen cents per hour to nine- 
teen and twenty cents per hour. 
grinders', no. 15. 

Lodge No. 15, T. K. G. N. U., was 
organized in 1894 under the Grand 
Lodge of Table Knife Grinders Nation- 
al union of North America. The latter 
was instituted June 4, 1885, and has un- 
der its jurisdiction ten out of twelve 
shops. 

It has been very successful in the way 
of reducing working hours and increas- 
ing wages. It is affiliated with the Cen- 
tral Labor union, and the Americ.m 
Federation of Labor. The officeps are : 
President, George Odium ; vice-presi- 
dent, O. J. Weisgraber; secretary, Edw. 
N. White ; treasurer, Eug. Susson. 
cigar makers', no. 484. 

The Cigar Makers of Meriden were 
members of the New Haven union foi 
many years, but realizing that they 
could improve the local cigar making 
industry by having a local union here, 
applied for a charter from the Cigar 
Makers' International union of Amer- 
ica, in August, 1901, which was granted 
the same month, and known as Local 
No. 484. 

Ever since receiving their charter 
they have taken an active interest m 
all local labor matters, and have sue- 
ceded in increasing their membership. 
The members of local 484 are trying at 
all times to impress upon the minds of 
all users of the weed that cigars are 
a luxury and should be made under 
clean and health}^ conditions, and in or- 
der to protect the smoker from the 
filthy, disease-laden product of the 
Chinaman, tenement house and sweat 
shop, they ask all smokers to see that 
the blue label is on the box from which 
they are purchased. 

J. P. Twining is the recording secre- 
tary of the local union and C. W. 
Stremlau, the delegate to the Centra! 
Labor union. 



1 84 



CKNTliNNIAL OF MKKIDliN. 



HORSE RACING AT TROTTING PARK 



All favorites won at the trotting park- 
Tuesday. Odds on some of the step- 
pers ran into rtgures over 200 as on C. 
O. D. after a splendid showing made in 
the preliminary heat. In spite of this 
handicap business was brisk at the ring- 
side and when Ben Madden ran neck 
and neck to the turn in the final heat 
of the 2:18 class there were plenty of 
the fraternity who considered that they 
had a "good thing in the bay gelding. 

The crowd at the park filled up the 
greater part of the grand stand and 
spread itself thickly along the white 
fence bounding the course. It reminded 
one of state fair days with the numer- 
ous teams drawn up on the hillside and 
the automobiles converted into ideal 
vantage points in all directions. 

The races started at i :30 p. m. Her- 
bert C. Bingham, of the Charter Oak 
circuit, was the starter. George Mes- 
senger, of Southington, J. H. Bronson, 
of New Haven, and W. A. Penheld. of 
Meriden, were judges. Fred Beloin of 
New Britain, was head timer. 

■The first heat was that of the 2:35 
trot and pace for a $200 purse. The 
heat was run off at a lively clip. Prince 
Oatley, owned by Broderick, of Middle- 
town, easily taking first place. The sec- 
ond heat for this class was almost a 
duplicate of the first, the horses finish- 
ing in exactly the same order. The 
best time was 2:26 1-4. 

The horses in the 2:35 class and their 
jilaces were as follows : 

Full View (Martel), New Haven. 2 2 
Commoner Boy (Regan), Water- 
bur}- 4 4 

Prince Oatley ( Broderic'c ), Mid- 

dletown i i 

Rafiles (Bulkelev). Soutliport .. 5 5 

Sam F. (Curtin), New Haven .. 3 3 

In the 2:22 class ($200 purse), there 
was considerable trouble in the startina; 
due to accidents and the jockeying of 
the drivers. The race was won by 
Johnnie Mack, with Toskey Maid and 



Grace M. alternating in the two heats 
for second honors. The best time was 
2:21 1-2. The places in the 1:22 das'- 
were won as follows : 

Toskey Maid (Maplehurst sta- 
bles), Windsor 3 2 

Johnnie Mack (Martel), New 

Haven i i 

Grace M. (Atwell), Middletown 2 3 

Mayo (McC^rail), Branford 5 5 

Bertie Barker (Curtis), Water- 
bury 4 4 

The great race of the day w'as the 
2:18 class, also for a $200 purse. C. 
O. D. was the favorite at the start, al- 
though Lunda, Gene Cuyler and Ben 
Madden had their friends. Owner Bra- 
zel had all sorts of trouble with the 
Middletown horse, delaying the start 
considerabl}-. Brazel lacked the re- 
quired weight in the first place, and af- 
ter securing this a girth broke, causing 
Ben Madden to rear and buckle togeth- 
er the sulky wheels. When the horses 
finally got away the pace was terrific. 

In 'the first heat C. O. D. and Ben 
Madden led the bunch after the first 
tour of the course, but C. O. D. was an 
easy winner. The second heat was the 
prettiest of the race. Neck and neck 
the two horses kicked up the dust until 
the last turn was reached. Then C. O. 
D. pulled away with ease, and John Ball 
creeping up, Brazel's driver was forced 
to use the whip to maintain his posi- 
tion. The time was 2:20 1-4. 

The positions of the horses was in 
this order : 

C. O. D. (Ferguson), New Ha- 
ven I I 

Ben Madden (Brazel). Middle- 
town 2 2 

Lunda ( Vandenburg). Bridge- 
port 3 4 

John Ball (Stal'-er). Hartford.. 5 3 

Gene Cuyler (Bulkeley). South- 
port 4 5 

Banner Bov (Smith). Waterburv. 6 



CEXTF.XMAr, ()|- MI'.IUDKX. 



185 



The free-for-all proved a star event 
and in both heats the horses were 
hunched all around the track. Colonel 
Taylor winning out by a neck with Joe 
Wilk, a close second. The local race 
for seventy-five bushels of oats was a 
fast one. Prince Oatley again carried 
off honors, winning the 2 130 trotting 
race for $200. Summaries : 
2:30 class, $200 — Prince Oatlev, Brod- 



erick, won; Ban Gillie, Doyle, second; 
Rollie, Hayes, third. Time, 2:25 1-4. 

Free-for-all, $200— Colonel Taylor, 
Stalker, Hartford, won ; Joe Wilk, 
Bonkley, second; General Shafter, 
Brown, third. Time, 2:17 1-4. 

Local Race, 75 bushels of oats — Billie 
Boy, Sears, won ; Coco, Holton, second ; 
Teddie B., Weisner, third. Time. 2:},'^) 
1-2. 



CENTENNIAL BALL GAME 



The game between the New Haven 
and Waterbury teams of the Connecti- 
cut league at the Hanover park grounds 
in the afternoon proved to be the star 
attraction in the sporting line of the 
day. It netted the Centennial $50. 

Both pitchers were given fine sup- 
port at critical times which held the 
fans at fever heat throughout the con- 
test. The former members of the Mer- 
iden team who were playing with Wa- 
terbury were given an ovation when 
they stepped to the plate, and Frank 
Burke of the New Havens, was also 
remembered. 

The features of the game outside of 
Corcoran's great work in the box were 
running catches by Swander in left gar- 
den in the fifth inning, when he made 
a circus catch of F^itzpatrick's drive 
which looked good for a two-base hit 
a running catch of a foul fly by O'Ha- 
gan and a stop of a liner by Fitzpat- 
rick in the ninth period which nearly 
broke his hand ofif. The score: 

WATERBURY. 

ab. r. h. po. a. e. 
McAndrews, ss, 400160 

McCabe, cf, 3 i i 5 i 

Swander, If, 401400 

Nichols, rf, 4 i o i o i 

O'Hagan, ib, 3 i 11 o o 



Trackera, c. 
Rice, 2b, 
Baker, 3b, 
Rogers, p. 



301300 
200020 
300100 
30001 I 



Totals 29 2 4*26 10 2 

*Bunyan out for tunning out of base 
line. 

NEW HAVEX. 

ab. r. h. po. a. e. 



Connell, rf. 


4 








I 








Fitzpatrick, 2b, 


3 








2 


2 





Hannifin, ss. 


4 








2 


4 





Burke, If, 


4 


I 


2 


I 





I 


Hayward, 3b, 


4 


I 


3 


2 


4 


I 


Bunyan, ib. 


3 





I 


13 








Wade, cf, 


3 


I 





4 





I 


Jope, c, 


4 





I 




I 





Corcoran, p. 


4 





I 





5 





Totals, 


33 


3 


8 


-V 


16 


3 


New Haven, 


020 





I 





0- 


-3 


Waterbur}-, 


200 











0- 


_2 



Summary: Two base hits, McCabe, 
Hayward ; sacrifice hits. Wade, Rice : 
stolen bases. Wade, Jope, Hayward, 
O'Hagan ; hit by pitcher, Fitzpatrick, 
McCabe; struck out, by Corcoran i, by 
Rogers i ; bases on balls, off Rogers i ; 
left on bases, Waterbury 2, New Ha-, 
ven 6 ; time, 1 :30 ; umpire, Malone. 



CENTENNIAL LUNCHEON 



A charming aft'air was the Centen- 
nial luncheon given in the afternoon 
by Miss Zerfass, of Lincoln street. ]Mrs. 
Marshall L. Forbes acted as chaperon, 
and those present were Mrs. Howard 
E. Boardman, Mrs. Sherman F. John- 



son and the Misses Deckerd, Merriam. 
Nickerson and Birdsey. 

A dainty luncheon was served and a 
souvenir appropriate to the Centennial 
was found by each guest. Miss Zer- 
fass proved herself a charming hostess. 



i86 



CKNTI-IXXIAL OF MERIDEN. 



CENTENNIAL CONCERT 



The Centennial concert at the First 
M E. church in the evening was a great 
success and was attended by an audi- 
ence that completely filled the large edi- 
fice. The local orchestra of twenty 
pieces did excellent work, and the chor- 




G. FRANK GOODALE, 
]\Iusical Director. 

us of 125 voices was the best ever heard 
in Meriden. 

The music, both vocal and instru- 
mental, was vulder the direction of G. 
Frank Goodale, and many complimems 
were given the singers, players and di- 
rector. The long programme was car- 
ried out without a break, and the con- 
cert will be recalled as one of the mc^.st 
enjoyable events of the great Centen- 
nial celebration. 

The first part of the programme w;i^ 
made up of modern music and things 



worthy of special mention were IMr. 
Goodale's "Stars of the Summer Night," 
which was sung without accompaniment 
and which received most hearty and de- 
served applause. Frank Treat Sonth- 
wick's "The Lord Himself," the Cen- 
tennial anthem, a beautiful composition, 
was delightfully sung, and like Mr. 
Goodale, Mr. Southwick was compelled 
to bow his acknowledgements. 

In the second part one of the gems 
was the singing of the "Old Folks at 
Home," bv Mrs. A. M. Brooks and 




FRANK TREAT SOUTHWTCK, 
Composer of Anthem. 

chorus. The audience would not be 
satisfied until the number was repeated. 
The well-known hymns that were on 
the programme were sung with a spirit 
that thrilled the audience, which united 
in the singing of "Auld Lang Syne ' 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEX. 



187 



and "Aleriden, My Meriden," the Cen- 
tennial song written by Thos. L. Reilly 
and sung to the tune of "Maryland, Mv 
Maryland." 

To end the ver}- successful concert 
the audience and chorus sang two stan- 
zas of "America." 

Only words of praise were heard tor 
the concert and every one connected 
with it. The soloists of the concert 
were : 

Sopranos — Miss Bertha P. Hobson, 
iMiss Myra E. Marshall, Mrs. E. S. 
Montgomery, Mrs. A. E. von Tobel. 

Altos— Miss Lottie E. Bartlett, Mrs. 
Arthur M. Brooks, Mrs. Wm. E. Gra- 
ham, Miss Susie P. Spencer. 

Tenors — Richard H Bourne, Albert 
H. Hart, William Heaton, Alfred B. 
Savage, Harold L. Wheatley. 

Basses — Lewis M. Robotham, Harrv 
H. Smith, Claude V. Sutliffe. 

Director — G. Frank Goodale. 

Organist — Frank Treat Southwick. 

Pianist — Aliss Clara M. Scranton. 

The orchestra was made up as fol- 
lows : 

First violins — John I^ranzen, concert- 
master; C. M. Bryne, Henry Felix. 

Second violins — A. C. Butler, M. Ke- 
gan. 

Viola— John H. Hill. 

Cello — Joseph A. Hill. 

Bass— J. H. Meehan. 

Flute — Herman A Sievert. 

Clarionets — Fred Bourque, Roy H. 
Martindale. 

Trumpets — John W. Fearnley, Ed- 
ward Schulz. 

French horns — Paul F. Schuman, Ed- 
win A. Hirschfeld. 

Trombone — Fred E. Frost. 

Tympani — H. J. Martel. 

The programme was carried out as 
follows : 



FIRST PART. 

War March of the Priests, Athalia 

Mendelssohn 

Hallelujah Chorus, Mt. of Olives .. 

Beethoven 

Song, Stars of the Summer Night, 
(unaccompanied) . .G. Frank Goodale 
Solo by Mr. Robotham. 
Chorus, What from Vengeance (Sex- 
tette from Lucia de Lammermoor) 

Donizetti 

Miss Hobson, Mrs. Brooks, Mr. Heat- 
on, Mr. Bourne. Mr. Robotham, 
and Mr. Sutliffe. 
Song, When Spring Comes Laughing 

Eaton Faning 

Anthem, The Lord Himself 

Frank Treat Southwick 

Solos by Miss Marshall, Miss Spencer, 
Mr. Hart and Mr. Smith. 

SECOND PART. 

Auld Lang Syne. 

Song, Sound the Loud Timbrel 

Charles Avison 

Mrs. von Tobel, Mrs. Graham, ^Ir. 

Savage and Mr. Smith. 
Comic duet. Dost Thou Love Me, Sis- 
ter Ruth John Parry 

Mrs. Montgomery and Mr. Wheatley. 
Hymn, Denmark (Before Jehovah's 

Awful Throne) M. Madan 

Song, Old Folks at Home ....Foster 

Solo by Mrs. Brooks. 
Hymns : 

(a) Majesty Billings 

(b) Portland Maxim 

Song, Cousin Jedediah H. S. Thompson 

Solo by Mrs. von Tobel. 

Song, Strike the Cymbal Pucitta 

Solos bv Miss Hobson, Miss Bartlett, 

Mr. Hart and Mr. Sutliffe. 
Hymn, Jerusalem, My Glorious Home 

Dr. Lowell Mason 

Centennial Song, Aleriden, My Mer- 
iden Thomas L. Reillv 



i88 



CENTEX XIAL OF M I:KI1)1;.\ , 




MERIDEN SAVINGS BANK. SHOWING DKCORATIOXS. 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIllEN. 



189 



Thursday, June 14 — Military Day 



The great crowds early in the week 
were utterly eclipsed to-day by the 
thousands upon thousands who thronged 
the streets from early morning as every 
train and every trolley car came into 
the city loaded to its capacity. Car- 
riages and automobiles brought others 
and by the time the Drummers and Fif- 
ers parade started, the main thorough- 
fares were so blocked that pedetrians 
could make but little headway. It was 
the same good natured crowd that made 
all the evenings a joyous carnival. 
Everybody was on a holiday, there was 
no ill nature, no trouble and no intox- 
ication or anything that was at all of- 
fensive. 

The spectacular features had much 
to do with the increased attendance 
and the two parades were among the 
most noteworthy of the features of the 
week. The street fairs, the midway, 
the loan exhibit, the numerous other 
things all received a liberal patronage. 

The seventeen-gun salute was fired on 
BucVwheat hill in the morning from the 
field piece which Agent King secured 
for the occasion. Lieutenant Page and 
Sergeant Lanphere. of Battery A, Bran- 
ford, had charge of the firing. They 
were assisted by a member of Company' 
T as powder boy. The men worked like 
clock work and fired the salute with 
great precision. There was some com- 
ment because the gun was placed so far 
away, and it was decided that it would 
have to be brought nearer the center 
of the city. 

With varied colored uniforms thirtv- 
two drum corps marched through the 
principal streets of the city in the morn- 
ing. Thev started shortlv after dav- 
break and kept it up until long after 
the noon hour. There was hardly a mo- 
ment when a person's ears were not 
greeted with the shrill notes of the fife 
and the rattle of the drum. The occa- 
sion for all this was the annual con- 
vention of the Connecticut Fife and 
nnim association and incidentallv to 



assist in the celebration of the Centen- 
nial of Meriden. 

The several corps gathered at the City 
park and on their arrival reported to 
Chief Marshal W. J. Brunelle. He 
took their money and then gave the 
leaders cards which assigned them to 
their places in the line. The parade 
was scheduled to start at 10:30, but it 
was a half hour before the word was 
given and the line moved. The first 
division w^as composed of the modern 
Fife and Drum corps class. The sec- 
ond division was led by the Deep Riv- 
er Drum corps, of Deep River, with 
sixteen men in the line, and the thun- 
der of their drums is still echoing in 
the ears of many of the residents of 
this town. This bunch made enough 
noise to awake the dead. 

The third division was made up of 
the flute and piccolo bands. Their uni- 
forms were natty and they were well 
applauded all along the line. There 
were only three bands in this division. 

In the fourth division there were the 
Jewell Belting Drum .corps, of Hart- 
ford. The others in this division all 
came from Hartford, and they were 
Bolden Drum corps. Charter Oak 
Drum corps, and the IMcLean Drum 
corps. 

The division that excited the most 
interest was the fifth. In this was the 
most famous of the Drum corps of the 
present day. It was the Nineteenth Sep- 
arate Co. of Poughkeepsie. N. Y. There 
were thirty men in the ranks and in 
their grenadier uniforms they were 
cheered from one end of the line C'f 
march to the other. They were the 
heroes of the morning and they well 
deserve all the praise showered upon 
them. 

MAKE-UP OF PARADE. 

From the time it became known that 
the annual field day of the Connecti- 
cut Fifers and Drummers' association 
was to be held in this city, something 



I go 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



was doing. The Meriden Fife and 
Drum corps to a man did not allow 
a day to pass that they were not busy 
preparing for the event. They hustled as 
only the young men of Meriden can, 
and the field day will go down in his- 
tory as the best that has been held in the 
annals of the association. Handsome 
and valuable prizes were secured. 

The Meriden Drum corps, under 
whose auspices the convention was held, 
was organized August 20, 1902. It 
immediately forged to the front as the 
best modern fife and drum corps in the 
state. Frmii the liea'inninir of its ex- 




GEOKv^x. y. HADLOCK. 
Pres. Conn. Fifers & Drummers. 

istence it has won prizes at each con- 
vention. It defeated the ?ililitary Fife 
and Drum band of Southington at New 
Britain in 1903 in a fancy drill contest 
and the Young Men^s T. A. B. drum 
corps of New Britain at Bridgeport in 
the following vear. At the convention 
in Deep River last year they carried 
off the honors. 

William F. Feldhouse, who has been 
the leader since the corps was organ- 
ized, has won many prizes as individ- 
ual fifer and is considered in the first 
rank as a drum corps leader and fifer. 



W. J. Brunelle, who is the major of 
the corps, has for many years been 
the champion baton swinger of the 
state. He has defeated such men as 
W. E. Newton of Holyoke, and Drum 
Major Shea of Waterbury, and many 
others of fame. The Meriden corps 
took no part in the contests. They 
acted as host to the visiting fifers and 
drummers and made their visit to Mer- 
iden one long to be remembered with 
the greatest pleasure. The corps, who 
were the guests of the Meriden corps, 
were : 

The 19th Separate compainy, Fife, 
Drum and Bugle corps, of Poughkeep- 
sie, N. Y., twenty-five men. The of- 
ficers were Alberland Comfort, major; 
J. C. Alverson, fife sergeant ; Emil Ra- 
danke, fife corporal ; Harry Leckstran. 
drum sergeant ; St. Clare Lake, drum 
corporal ; Fred Van Elter, bugle cor- 
poral. 

Bethel Drum corps. Bethel, Conn., 14 
men. 

E. D. Fiske Drum corps, Guilford. 
Conn., 10 men, with F. D. Sweet, fife 
sergeant, and W. H. Dolph, drum ser- 
geant. 

Lancraft Drum corps. New Haven, 
15 men, F. S. Howard, leader; Ed. Rai- 
ney, fife sergeant, and F. S. Howard, 
drum sergeant. 

Charter Oak Drum corps, Hartford, 
ID men. with John Leach as leader. 
Ed. Ritchie, first drum sergeant ; Sid- 
nev Bacv, second drum sergeant, and 
W. J. Lindsay, drum corporal. 

Morgan G. Bulkeley Fife and Drum 
corps, Hartford, 15 men. Major Guy H. 
Bockus ; Michael J. O'Brien, sergeant 
fifer; Daniel J. Conlin, corporal fifer; 
Aaron R. Blumenthal. sergeant drum- 
mer, and James H. Malone. corporal 
drnmmer. 

American Fife and Drum corps. New 
Britain, 13 men; Charles Burkhardt, 
leader; Ed. Tracy., fifer sergeant, and 
Samuel Samuel son. drum sergeant. 

Oriental Flute and Dmrn band. 
Stamford. 18 men. Maior John F. Mat- 
thews, with A. S. Clark, leader, and 
C. P. McGuinness. drum corporal. 

Regimental Drum corps. Greenwich, 
15 men; Fred Ferguson, fife sergeant; 
Olin S. Boom, second fife sergeant; 
Daniel ^lunroe, first drum sergeant; 
Frank Slieehan, second drum sergeant. 

Jewel Drum corps, Hartford, q men ; 
Harold Davis, major, and Stuart F. 
Hills, sergeant drummer. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



191 



Plainville Fife and Drum corps, Kennedy Guards, Danbury, 16 men. 

Plainville, Conn., 15 men. American Graphophone Drum cofps, 

Y. M. T. A. B. Drum corps, New Bridgeport, 15 men. 
Britain, 16 men; John Kiley, major; A. S. and K. Drum corps, Hotch- 

P. McCram, leader, and Frank Welsh, kissville, 14 men. 
drum sergeant. Deep River Drum corps, Deep River, 

Allen Drum corps, Hartford, 17 18 men. 
men; A. J. Allen, major; F. Dickinson, Liberty Drum corps. New Britain, 14 

men. 

Grenadier Drum corps, Milford, 14 
men. 

Wallingford Drum corps, 16 men. 
Pratt & Reed Drum corps, Deep Riv- 
er, 16 men. 

R. H. Comstocx Drum corps. Ivory- 
ton, 14 men. 

Portland Drum corps, 15 men. 
T. M. Russell Drum hand. Middle- 
town, 15 men. 




L. E. PRATT, 
State Secretary Drummers. 

drum sergeant, and J. O'Neil. flute ser- 
geant. 

Cathedral Father Matthew Drum 
corps, Springfield, Mass.. 18 men. with 
A. J. Trapp, major; B. A. Holland, 
leader; J. D. Shea, drum sergeant, and 
T. Lynch, fife sergeant. 

Eureka Fife and Drum corps. Plain- 
ville. Conn., George Livingstone, man- 
ager. 

Glastonbury Drum corps, 13 men. 

Military Drum band, Southington. 18 
men. 

New London Drum corps. 15 men. 

Sacred Heart Drum corps. Water- 
bury, 16 men. 

St. Ann's Drum corps, Waterbury. 15 
men. 

Second Regiment Drum corps. New 
Haven, 10 men. 






W. J. BRUNELLE, 
Marshal Drummers" Parade. 



Bolden's Drum corps, Hartford, 10 
men. 

McLean's Drum corps. Hartford. 10 
men. 

Sacred Heart. 2nd Regiment Drum 
corps. Springfield. M;iss., 24 men. 

Father Matthew Drum corps, Hart- 
ford, 17 men. 



192 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX, 



Red Men's Drum corps, New Lon- 
don, 14 men. 

Bine Ribbon Drum corps, Bridge- 
port, 15 men. 

H. G. Hul)barcl Drum corps, ]\Iid- 
dletown, 18 men. 

East Hampton Drum corps, East 
Hampton, 14 men. 



success of the held day for weeks, 
were as follows: 

General Committee of Arrangements : 
— J. B. Eeldhouse, chairman; C. L. 
Heckler, E. A. Everard. 

Sub-committee on Suvenirs and Pro- 
gramme — W. F. Eeldhouse, chairman, 
W. J. Brunelle, Charles Corbin. 




RESIDENCE OF E. J. DOOLITTLE, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



Derby Drum corps, Derby, 14 men. 

St. Mary's Drum corps, Derby, 15 
men. 

Boys' Club Drum corps, Meriden, 15 
men. 

The committees that worked for the 



Ladies' Reception Committee — Mrs. 
C. L. Heckler, Mrs. J. B. Eeldhouse, 
Miss Kathryn McLaughlin, Miss Agnes 
Eeldhouse, Miss Annie Tresselt, Miss 
Margaret McLaughlin, Miss Anna 
Driscoll, Miss Bertha Tresselt, Miss 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



193 



Margaret Watts. Miss Anna Beatty, 
Miss Pauline Dubord, Miss Bertha 
Lippold, Miss Pearl Goss, Miss Lizzie 
Driscoll, Miss Nellie Scott, Miss Kath- 
erine Donahue, Miss Katherine Russell, 
Miss Catherine Curtin, Miss Mary 
Everard, Miss Kittie Maney, Miss 
Marie Lynch, Mrs. E. Newbaum, Miss 
Mav Feidhouse, Miss Nellie Driscoll, 




J. B. FELDHOUSE, 
Drummers' Field Day Chairman. 

Miss Kittie English, Mrs. W. J. Bru- 
nelle, Miss Annie Cook, Miss Julia 
Fallon, Miss Fannie Keegan, Miss 
Katherine Walsh and Miss Mae Carroll. 

The musical judges were Charles 
Mueller, New Britain, technical ; Fred 
Guilford. New Haven, expert flutist; 
Daniel J. Crummins, Hartford, expert 
drummer. 

Military judges, Lieut. A. D. Budd, 
First U. S. Infantry, Fort Jay, New 
York; Major W. W. Bullen, First regi- 
ment, C. N. G., New Britain. 

At the close of the parade in the 
afternoon the corps went to Hanover 
park where the open air contests were 
held. In the evening the contests were 
resumed in the auditorium and while 
the judges were engaged in making up 

13 



the awards dancinig was indluged in by 
the young people present. About i 
o'clock in the morning Secretary L. E. 
Pratt announced the prize winners. 
They were as follows : 

For best appearing corps in line — -A 
large red silk banner, Poughkeepsie 
Drum corps. 

For best appearing drum major in 
line — A large black fur drum major's 
shake, A. J. Allen, of Hartford. 

For most ancient appearing corps in 
line — A hand decorated tobiicco jar, 
Deep River corps. 

First prize, ancient drum corps — 
Deep River, large silver cup. 

First prize, modern fife and drum 
corps — Silver prize cup, T. A. B.'s of 
New Britain. 

Second prize, modern fife and drum 




^vxSJwwx*^^ 




E. A. EVERARD. 
Aide Drummers' Parade. 

corps — Pair bronze figures, "Game of 
Grace," Father Matthew's corps, Hart- 
ford. 

Second prize, ancient fife and drum 
corps — Silver trumpet. Lancraft's Drum 
corps, of New Haven. 

First prize, flute and piccolo band — 
Prize cup, Oriental 1)and. Stamford; 



194 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



second prize, flute and piccolo band — 
Prize cup, Allen Drum band, Hartford. 

First prize, drum corps without fifes 
— Street snare drum. Charter Oaks, 
Hartford. 

First prize, fancy drilling by corps 
— Gold mounted, hand decorated lov- 
ing vase, T. A. B., New Britain. 

First prize, individual snare drum- 
ming — F. Fancher, New Haven. 

First prize, individual bass drumming 
— Gentleman's English cigar case and 
bill book, George S. Cook. 

Second prize, individual bass drum- 
ming — Pair of engraved silver napkin 
rings, Edward Smith, Liberty corps. 
New Britain. 

First prize, individual fife, anci'ent 
class — Thirty-eight calibre revolver, 
James Bonney, Southington. 

Second prize, individual fife, ancient 



class — Silver pepper and salt cellars, J. 
C. McCran, Liberty corps. New Britain. 

First prize, individual fife, modern 
class — Set of silver knives and forks, 
T. D. O'Connor, St. Francis' T. A. B., 
Naugatuck. 

Second prize, individual fife modern 
class — Silver cup, James Bonney, South- 
ington. 

First prize, individual piccolo — Pair 
of hand painted Melleu vases, E. Ber- 
nardo, Stamford. 

Second prize, individual piccolo — Sil- 
ver cup, Chauvelot. Stamford. 

First prize, best drum major baton 
swinging — All metal drum major's ba- 
ton, B. W. Wrinn, Southington. 

Second prize, baton swinging — Med- 
al. C. Walker, New Britain. 

Special prize, fancy drilling — Hand- 
some glassware. Father Matthew corps. 
Springfield. 



PARADE OF SECOND REGIMENT, C.N.G 



Twice within the memory of man 
the Second regiment has captured the 
town of Meriden. It was in the latter 
part of the last century that the first 
capture was made, to be more exact 
on May 6, 1898, that the regiment de- 
scended upon this town and took it and 
all the inhabitants, especially the young 
women, by storm. 

On that occasion Company I defended 
the city from the assault but what 
could such a small handful of men do 
with an army? This time Company I 
was one of the invaders and the city 
was captured hip and thigh. 

Early in the morning the trains un- 
loaded the men from the cities to which 
they belong and a quick formation was 
made on State street and in columns of 
fours the regiment marched to Pratt 
street, where a big dining tent had been 
pitched. It was there later in the day 
that the men were fed. While the 
drummers were parading the streets the 
militiamen strolled about the city singly 
or in groups. Man without a uniform 
was a nonentity. Not a girl in the city 
had any use for him. It was a repeti- 
tion of sixteen years ago. 

But the time comes when there is an 
end to all flirtation and when the din- 



ner bell sounded the soldiers fled from 
their charmers and ran to the place 
where the inner man could be satisfied 
for they knew they had a long and hot 
march before them. Immediately after 
dinner the regiment formed for the pa- 
rade of the day and was prompt on the 
line at the hour set. There the men 
were obliged to wait for the civilians 
to get in line and when that had been 
accomplished the word was given and 
the march began. All along the line 
the companies were cheered. There 
were no favorites. Each and every 
man in the regiment was a guest of 
the city for the day and the public rec- 
ognized that fact and the cheers were 
given with a will and impartiality. 

Colonel Geddes was in command. 
The regiment was divided in three bat- 
talions. Captain Carter of Company A. 
of Waterbury, was in command of the 
first battalion. Major Tilson having 
been elected commander of the Span- 
ish War veterans, and was at the head 
of that organization in the parade. Ma- 
jor Norton was in command of the sec- 
ond and Major Isbell of the third bat- 
talion. 

The Uniformed Rank of the Knights 
of Pvthias followed the Second regi- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



195 



ment. This body was under the com- 
mand of Brigadier General Joseph S. 
Stokes. Colonel G. P. Tryon of this 
town commanded the First regiment and 
Colonel Osborne the Second. There 
were eleven companies in the former 
and twelve in the latter. 

The United Spanish War veterans 
brought up the rear of the procession 
but not the rear in the matter of the 
cheers that weree handed out with great 
prodigality. The people appreciated 
what had been done only a few years 
ago and were quick to refute that old 
saying to the effect that the public soon 
forgets and looks for some new excite- 
ment or hero. So well were they 
cheered that the new commander 
blushed under his tan and the faces of 
the men beamed with pleasure. 



FEEDING THE SOLDIERS. 

Executive Agent King and Caterer 
W. H. A. Maynard, who looked after 
the feeding of the Second regiment, the 
Spanish War Veterans and the Knights 
of Pythias, fed 1,200 of them at the big 
tent on Center street, at noon. This 
was one of Mr. King's worries that was, 
however, as successfully carried out as 
all the other details of the great event. 
There was not a hitch in the catering 
line. The military boys and the others 
filed into the big tent and were served 
with an excellent luncheon by "Pop" 
Maynard's skilled waiters and every one 
was satisfied. 

Colonel Geddes expressed his appre- 
ciation of the success of the affair, es- 
pecially that not a detail that looked to- 
wards their comfort was overlooked. 



HISTORY OF THE SECOND REGIMENT, C.N.G, 



When one SD'^aks of the history of 
New Haven colony he must in almost 
the same breath mention the Second 
regiment. They are co-existent. One 
is and has been for centuries depend- 
ing on the other for support. In a 
case it is a Darby and Joan form. 
Every schoolboy knows when the 
dissenters came to the southern part 
of the state to found a colony in which 
they could worship God in their own 
way and the trials and tribulations 
which they met in their endeavor. The 
name of John Davenport will always 
be reverenced wherever a Christian 
bends his knees in his silent prayer. 
The church has been blessed but there 
has nothing been said about the pool 
soldiers who waded through snow and 
slush and storm and sleet and often 
times went "^'ithout a meal to sustain 
them in the fight that was to come on 
the morrow. There is where the Sec- 
ond regiment's history is co-existent 
with that of New Haven colony. « 

There is many a youth in the ranks 
of the Second regiment who proudly 
carries his musket who does not know 
the least bit about the history of the 
command of which he follows the col- 
ors. If he did he would carry his 
head a few inches higher. 



As has been said before, the history 
of the Second regiment and New Haven 
colony are, and have been for ages, 
running in the same channel. There 
has been no divergence and when one 
has prospered the other gained some 
sort of a benefit. 

The Second regiment, Connecticut 
National Guard, is beyond a doubt the 
oldest military organization in the 
United States. It has been in contin- 
uous existence ever since the year 
1639, when the old training days were 
in vogue. But the real time that the 
Second regiment came into existence 
was when it was put under the com- 
mand of a major and that was in 1673. 
Previous to that time there was only a 
squad that reported for drill duty. 
Then came a reorganization under the 
command of Captain Turner. He 
merged all of the companies at that 
time under one organization and named 
it the Second regiment, Connecticut 
National Guard. It has been in con- 
tinuous existence ever since. There 
has not been a break in the colony and 
the officers of the regiment can point 
with equal pride to the record of the 
regiment. 

The first commissioned commander 
of the Second regiment was Robert 



196 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Treat. He was commissioned major 
in August, 1673. Sir Edmond Andros 
in November, 1687, appointed him a 
colonel, and from that time a colonel 
has been in command of the Second 
regiment. 

The next colonel was Samuel Ells 
who was appointed in October, 1739, 



When the War of the Revolution 
broke out the ranks of the regiment 
were thinned by the young men going 
to the front. They gave a good ac- 
count of themselves and their bones 
are scattered from the coast of Massa- 
chusetts to the land of the Seminoles. 
Members of the Second regiment were 




OFFICE OF WILCOX & WHITE CO. 



and from that date the history of the 
regiment is lost to the historian, in a 
sense. Under the command of Major 
Treat the regiment did excellent work 
in the Indian wars, so much so that 
in the year 1675 Major Treat was made 
a deputy governor for his gallantry in 
the war against King Phillip. 



withj General Washington when Corn- 
wallis surrendered on that eventful 
day in November in 1781. 

After the close of the War of the 
Revolution the regiment had a rest 
for a few years and then all of a sud- 
den the war of 1812 loomed up on the 
horizon. Again the young men of the 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



197 



regiment went to the front and the 
records show that they acquitted them- 
selves in a manner that was a credit 
to themselves and their commanders. 
And then came the Mexican war and 
once more the Second must be heard. 
This time the prestige of the regiment 
was kept up and there are men in the 




GEN. E. E. BRADLEY. 

state who went to the front at that 
time and who are now drawing pen- 
sions. Soon there will be none of the 
old guard left. 

From the time of Samuel Ells the 
regiment had several colonels. They 
were selected from all walks of life, 
but it was under the command of Al- 
fred H. Terry that the regiment made 
the record of all records. When Pres- 
ident Lincoln made his call for troops 
the Second regiment, almost to a man, 
volunteered. That was early in 1861 
and Colonel Terry led the regiment to 
the field. The discipline was such 
and the esprit de corps was so perfect 
that the regiment was complimented 
in special orders by General Keyes, a 
regular army officer, who was in com- 
mand of the division on that day. The 
regiment, or portions of it, were heard 



of from time to time throughout the 
war. Many regiments were the 
nuclei, if such a word can be used in 
this instance, of the old Second, of 
Connecticut. 

After the close of the war the regi- 
ment remained idle for a time and 
spent the interval in the work of reor- 
ganization. All it did for years was 
to go in annual encampment and es- 
cort the newly elected governor to the 
state capitol. In April, 1870, u^der 
the command of Colonel E. E. Bradley 
it was called to Charles Island, at the 
mouth of Milford harbor to quell a 
prize fight that was to be pulled off by 
a gang of New York toughs. The reg- 
iment fell into line, went there and, to 
the credit of the officers and men, a 
very few of the toughs escaped. 

But this is not all. The Second reg- 
iment had an unusual honor paid to 




ALViPR ! 



it by U. S. Grant when he was Presi- 
dent. The regiment had made all ar- 
rangements to attend the inauguration 
of President Grant in March, 1873. 
Owing to some delay, that to this day 
has not been explained, the regiment 
did not get to Washington until the 



198 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



day after the inauguration. When 
President Grant heard what had hap- 
pened he at once ordered a special re- 
view for the Second regiment on the 
next day. To say that the regiment 
was well received is expressing it 
mildly. From one end of Pennsylva- 
nia avenue to the other there was noth- 
ing but cheers and shouts of welcome. 
And when the regiment passed the re- 
viewing stand bedlam let loose. No 
National Guard regiment was before, 
or lias since, been so honored. 

Since that time honors have been 
heaped on the regiment. When Pres- 
ident Grant came to New Haven to at- 
tend the encampment of the Grand 
Army of the Republic in 1873, he 
chose the Second regiment as his es- 
cort. He knew what the regiment did 
and what it could do when called upon. 
And the best of it is he was not disap- 
pointed. 

From that time on to the present the 
Second has always taken the lead in 
everything in a military sense. That 
is shown each month in the report of 
the adjutant general. The figures of 
merit tell in a short space what kind 
of people are in the old Second. And 
look at the scores that are made by 
the officers and men of the different 
commands! Few regiments of the 
several states of the Union can show 
such records. Private rivals captain 
and, when it comes down to a pinch, a 
general is no better than the man 
without a chevron when he gets in the 
rifle butts. Each and every one works 
for the honor of the regiment. That 
is the secret of the success of the long 
and remarkable career of the Second 
regiment, Connecticut National Guard, 
which was organized in 1639 and has 
kept up its continuous existence to this 
day. 

CO. B, CITY GUARD. 

The City Guard was organized by a 
number of young Germans early in 
1861. It was not until the fall of 
the year that the organization was 
completed, and at a meeting on the 
night of September 14, 1861, the com- 
pany went into existence. George A. 
Basserman was selected the first cap- 
tain. For those times he was consid- 
ered a wealthy man, being a brewer, 
and in a short while ne became the 
colonel of the regiment. He was suc- 



ceeded on April 14, 1866, by Carl En- 
gel, who when he died was a major 
of the regiment. 

CO. E, LIGHT GU.\RD. 

This company was organized in 
1862. Benjamin N. Tuttle was the 
first captain. The company has held 
an honorable record in the National 
Guard ever since. Many men who en- 
listed in the ranks of this command 
have won medals for bravery on the 
fields of battle, not alone in this coun- 
try, but in other lands and under oth- 
er flags. Graduates of the Light 
Guard shoulder muskets and parade 
with the Old Guards of New York and 
The Ancient and Honorable Artillej-y 
of Boston. 

CO. C, SARSFIELD GUARD. 

The spread of Know Nothingism 
was in a measure the cause of the or- 
ganization of the Sarsfield Guard. In 
1855. Companies D ana E and the 
Rifle company, of Bhmingham, now 
Derby, were composed of sturdy young 
Irishmen. They were disbanded in 
that year, and the young men formed 
an independent company, which they 
called the Emmet Guard. This was 
the nucleus of the famous Ninth C. V., 
which did such good work under Gen- 
eral Benjamin Butler in the War of 
the Rebellion. When the volunteers 
returned from the war in 1865 a meet- 
ing was held, and the Sarsfield Guard 
was organized. Joseph H. Keefe, a 
veteran, was elected captain and be- 
fore he died he became a major of 
the regiment. 

CO. F, THE GRAYS. 

Early in 1816 a young graduate 01 
Yale and a lawyer of some promise, 
gathered a number of his friends 
about him in the old state house and 
suggested that they should form a 
military company. His idea met with 
popular favor and in a short time the 
Grays was organized. It was first 
called the New Haven Light Infantry. 
By a unanimous vote the company 
decided to wear nothing that was not 
made in America. Its uniform was a 
dark gray and when the company 
made its first appearance the public by 
acclaim named the company "The 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



199 



Iron Grays." From ttiat time to the 
present, the company has been known 
as the "Grays." The cumpany was or- 
ganized on September 13, 1816, and 
Sophos Staples was its first captain. 
The first public parade of the com- 
pany was on May 5, 1817. The com- 
pany has had a continuous existence 
ever since. 




CAPT. ALLING. 

CO. D, THE BLUES. 

In the early part of the year 1828 
a small number of men gathered in 
the lecture room of the Baptist Meet- 
ing house in New Haven. They talked 
over the advisability or forming a 
military company. Inrantry, cavalry 
and artillery were proposed and af- 
ter several meetings had been held 
it was decided to form an artillery 
company. This was on jime 28, 1828. 
M. A. Durand was elected the captain 
of the new company, and in a few 
years after the men got tired of nus- 
tling around guns ani v/ent in the in- 
fantry line. Then the Blues were 
formed, and the company has been an 
honor to the regiment ever since. 



CHAMEERL.AIN GUARD, CO. L. 

When the National Guard was reor- 
ganized by an act of the Legislature 
and was made into twelve companies, 
Company L of Meriden was formed. For 
years there had been only one company 
of the National Guard in the city of 
Meriden and the ranks were at all times 
full and there was a big waiting list. 
The young men of the city were quick 
to respond to the call to arms and in a 
short time the full complement of six- 
ty-eight men was enlisted- Joseph De- 
Cantillon, who had been a hard work- 
er for the success of the company, was 
elected captain and has held that office 
ever since. 

CO. I, EATON GUARD. 

Co. I of Meriden can trace its history 
back to verv strenuous davs- It was 




CAPT. E. O. GRUEXILR. 



during the time of the draft riots in the 
civil war in 1863. Men in those days 
did not know who was friend or foe. 
.A. feverish an.xiety existed all through 
the north and in few states was there 
any semblance of military organization. 
In this state it has been completely 



200 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



broken up and the cities and towns were 
practically defenseless. 

About this time was organized the 
Union league, the purpose of which was 
to maintain at all hazards, and at any 
cost, the Union undivided. The Union 
league saw the danger which existed 
in this state and at once took steps to 
avert it. Col. Dexter R. Wright had 
been admitted to the league in New Ha- 
ven, William Wallace Lee in Birming- 
ham, and they were the only two in 
Meriden. They at once saw the need 
of it and determined that the league 
should be organized in Meriden as soon 
as possible. One day it was circulated 
about town that Lee had united a num- 
ber of Masons to go to New Haven 
with him and visit Wooster lodge of 
Free Masons. They did go and visit 
the lodge but it was for a short time. 
Then they went to another place and 
were initiated into the Union league. 
They returned at midnight and met the 
next day at O- H- Piatt's office, organ- 
ized and admitted O. H. Piatt, Jacob 
Eaton and Rodney L. Smith. The next 
night a meeting was held over Bela 
Carter's store when Mr. Carter and 
Maior Byxbee were admitted. 

They had just got well organized 
when the draft riots occurred. The old 
Light Guard had been disbanded. A 
committee met Gov. Buckingham by ap- 
pointment and secured the loan of 200 
muskets from the arsenal. The guns 
were met about 3 o'clock the next 
morning near Berlin and escorted to this 
city and stored with a guard on duty. 

The next night the members of the 
Union league met in the Town hall and 
organized two companies of volunteers, 
100 men each, known as senior and 
junior companies. The seniors were 
over thirty-five and Levi E. Coe was 
captain. Of the juniors, men under 
thirty-five, Jacob Eaton was chosen 
captain, E. W. Bliss first lieutenant, and 
later captain. 

This was the beginning of Company 
I of Meriden. The members of the 
junior company stuck to their drills and 
aimed to perfect themselves in military 
knowledge. Taken altogether they were 
a fine body of men. 

When Captain Eaton first proposed 
that the company go into the state mil- 
itia only a small minority fell in with 
his idea, but by his gentle and persua- 
sive manner he won the entire com- 
pany over to him. 



On Oct. 5, 1863, it was formally voted 
to organze as a company of the state 
militia, only a few who had been in the 
volunteers failed to sign the roll. Meet- 
ings were held for drill but the ranks 
were constantly being depleted by en- 
listments in the army. 

In the summer of 1864 Captain Eaton 
determined to enter again the regular 
service. The members made no effort 
to restrain him and the company went 
down to hear him preach his farewell 
sermon. He is buried in the quiet lit- 
tle cemetery in Cromwell, Conn. 

The company turned out with eighty 
men in 1864 at the inauguration of Gov- 
ernor Buckingham. In May, 1865, the 
company turned out loi men in the pa- 
rade at Hartford and in the fall of that 
year went into camp at New Haven 
with ninety-seven men in the ranks. 
When Captain Eaton resigned, E. W. 
Bliss was elected captain. In the sum- 
mer of 1865 Captain Bliss left Meriden 
and resigned and Lieutenant Adams 
was elected. 

Looking over all the years that have 
passed since Co. I was organized no bet- 
ter class of young men had at any time 
been gotten together in Meriden. The 
company has furnished one state comp- 
troller, Luzerne I. Munson, in 1885-6, 
three state senators, Wm. A. Hall, 1868, 
R. T. Cook, 1883, Wm. H. Golden, 1884, 
The company also furnished one mayor 
to the city of Meriden, E. J. Doolittle. 
From that time on the history of the 
company is well known to the present 
generation. At the annual encamp- 
ments of the National Guard at Nian- 
tic it has always won the commendation 
of the higher officers. 

The recent captains of the company 
are as follows : Dexter W. Parker, 
Theodore Byxbee, Henry B. Wood, Os- 
car L. Bradley ad George E. Proud- 
man. Captain Proudman enlisted May 
26, 1850, promoted corporal June i, 
1892; discharged May 26, 1895, re- 
enlisted and reappointed corporal. May 
26, 1895; promoted sergeant Jan. i, 1897; 
discharged, re-enlisted and reappointed 
May 26, 1897: promoted first sergeant 
August 12, 1898; appointed first lieu- 
tenant March i, 1900: appointed captain 
January 16, 1906. 

COLONEL JAMES GEDDES. 

Enlisted in Company A, Second reg- 
iment, Waterbury, on June 6, 1887, 
and rapidly rose to tne rank of ser- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



20 1 



geant. Second lieutenant, November 
23, 1891; first lieutenant, January 2, 
1893; captain, March 15, 1893; major, 
December 5, 1899; lieucenant colonel, 
January 10, 1901. On the death of 
Theodore Sucher last year he was 



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CAPT. GEO. E. HALL. 

elected commander or the regiment 
on January 4 of the present year. 

LIEUT. COL. CHARLES P. m'C.-\BE. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment, January 28, 1884, and rose 
from the ranks until June 29, 1891, 
when he was commissioned second 
lieutenant; first lieutenant, October 
27, 1891; captain, May 10, 1893; major, 
August 3, 1900. Was promoted to 
lieutenant colonel on the election of 
Colonel Geddes. 

MAJOR JOHN Q. TILSON. 

Enlisted in Company P, Second reg- 
iment, January 1, 189s, and got leave 
of absence during tluie of Spanish- 
American war, when he acted as sec- 
ond lieutenant in the sixth U. S. Vol. 
Infantry. Was honorably discharged 
September 20, 1898, and re-enlisted in 



Company F, October }, i898. Elected 
captain of Company D, the Blues, 
May 18, 1899, and major of the Sec- 
ond regiment, January lO, 1901. 

MAJOR HENRY NORTON, JR. 

Enlisted in Company K, Second reg- 
iment, August 17, 1883. Rose from 
ranks and was commissioned second 
lieutenant September 18, 1888. Re- 
signed June 17, 1891. Commissioned 
second lieutenant November 17, 1891; 
first lieutenant, Novemoer 24, 1896; 
captain, December 1, 189S, and major, 
December 14, 1904. 

MAJOR ERNEST L. ISBELL. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment. May 13, 1889; second lieuten- 
ant, July 6, 1899; first lieutenant, Oc- 




CAPT. GEORGE KRAET. 

tober 19. 1899; captain, January 31, 
1901; major, January 14, 1906. 

CAPT. THOMAS T. WELLES. 

Private Battery D, Third Infantry, 
April 4, 1871; first sergeant Company 
F, First regiment, August 1, 1871; 
first lieutenant. November 21, 18S1; 
resigned, February 3, 1885; captain 
and adjutant. Second regiment, April 



202 



C I-: N TE N N I A L O F M E R 1 1 ) l". N . 



2, 1885; major, July 1, 1889; resigned, 
January 22, 1890; captain and adju- 
tant, July 10, 1893. 

CAPT. JAMES F. KANE. 

Enlisted in Company C, Second 
regiment, June 1, 1897; first lieuten- 
ant, January 29, 1901; captain and 
quartermaster, July 5, 1901. 

CAPT. CHAUNCEY P. GOSS, JR. 

Enlisted in Company A, Second reg- 



tant, November 22, i896; resigned, 
January 23, 1901, and on January z9 
of the same year was appointed pay- 
master, with the rank or captain. 

FIRST LIEUT. JOHN G. KRAFT. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment, November 5, 1894, and rose 
from ranks until he was commissioned 
second lieutenant. Commissioned 
first lieutenant. Battalion adjutant, 
July 1, 1903. 




RESIDENCE OF MRS, II. M. BILLARD. 



iment, November 1, 1899; corporal 
non-commissioned staff, January 24, 
1901; first lieutenant, commissary, 
July 16, 1901; captain and commis- 
sary, December 31, 1903. 

CAPT. DWIGHT E. BOWERS. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment, July 22, 1891, and was made 
battalion sergeant major July 22, 
1896; first lieutenant, Battalian adju- 



FIRST LIEUT. JOHN R. NORTH. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment, November 9, 1898, corporal 
non-commissioned staff, July 15, 1901; 
first lieutenant. Battalion adjutant, 
July 23, 1904. 

SECOND LIEUT. A. C. HITCHCOCK. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment, January 17, i894, and re- 
mained until Novemuer 6, 1895. En- 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



203 



listed in Company A, October 31, 
1903; second lieutenant, Battalion 
quartermaster, Decemt)er 15, 1903. 

SECOND LIEUT. JAMES I. WEBB. 

Enlisted in Company F, Second reg- 
iment, July 10, 1902; second lieuten- 
ant, quartermaster Battalion, Janu- 
ary 14, 1904. 




LIEUT. COL. C!L\S. P. MCABE. 

SECOND LIEUT. A. D. BLAKESLEE. 

Enlisted in Company E, Second reg- 
iment, January 18, 1904 ; commission- 
ed second lieutenant ana quartermas- 
ter of Battalion, January 23, 1904 . 

COL. JOHN H. BARIO. 

Colonel John H. Bario. the only col- 
onel from Meriden who ever command- 
ed the Second regiment, dropped dead 
at his home, Butler and Hanover streets, 
this city at 10:10 o'clock on Saturday 
morning, January 2, 1892. Death was 
due to apoplexy and the shocking an- 
nouncement startled the community. 
He had not been a well man for over 
a week but to all his friends he suc- 
ceeded in concealing evidences of his 
illness- On the night previous to his 
death he and several friends called upon 
Mayor-elect Tracy and a very pleasant 



hour was spent in which Col. Bario 
was the life of the party. 

The next morning he complained to 
his wife of severe pains in his stomach 
and Dr. Hughes was sunmioned. After 
prescribing for his patient the physi- 
cian went to the kitchen for some hot 
water. He had hardly left the room 
han Col. Bario, who had been as- 
sisted to bed, showed signs of exhaus- 
tion. Dr. Hughes and Dr. Bradstreet, 
who had been summoned in the case, 
and Mrs. Bario went to his aid and he 
was again placed in bed. But the 
stroke had come and the kind-hearted 
husband lay dead in his wife's arms. 
Both physicians said that death was 
caused by apoplexy, due to the burst- 
ing of a blood vessel. 

John H. Bario was born in Middle- 
town in 1845. His education was ob- 




CAPT. JAS. F. KANE. 

tained in the public schools of Middle- 
town, Williamsburg, N. Y., and Hart- 
ford. When he came to Meriden in 
1859 he was a young man of fine ap- 
pearance and soon made himself popu- 
lar. • 

When the first call was made for 
troops at the breaking out of the civil 



204 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



war was ready to respond. He en- 
listed Aug. 24, 1861, in Co. C, Seventh 
C- Vv was mustered in September 6 
of the same year, re-enhsted as a vet- 
eran December 22, 1863, was promoted 
April 6, 1864, and mustered out July 20, 
1865. He had served through the war 
and was honorably discharged with the 
rank of corporal. 




CAPT. \V. li. SPKNCKR. 

During the last two years of service 
he was aide-de-camp to Gen. Hawley 
and frequently had Gen. Hawley com- 
mended him for his marked ability in 
the discharge of his duties. 

His title of colonel was obtained in 
1874 when he received the appointment 
as the head of the Second regiment, 
C. N. G. As he was one of the organ- 
izers of the Eaton Guard, Co. I, of 
this town, the appointment gave general 
satisfaction. He was popular as town 
and city clerk. He was elected to the 
former oflfice October i, 1866, and was 
Meriden's first city clerk, being chosen 
August 12, 1866, and served until May 
29, 1873. Again December 6, 1873, he 
was chosen and served until December 
19. 1876. 

He was a Republican until .1874 when 
he joined the Democrats and he at once 



became a more pronounced favorite 
with that party than with the other. In 
1888 he was made a post office inspector. 
While in that branch of the government 
service he made a brilliant record. On 
New Year's day, 1892, he received no- 
tice of his dismissal. No reason was 
given as to the course. His dismissal 
was as unexpected to him as it was to 
his friends. "I suppose it was politics," 
he said- "A presidential election com- 
ing on and I could not be assessed." 

Col. Bario was a member of Meridian 
lodge. A. F. & A. M., Keystone Chap- 
ter, R. A. M., Myrtle Lodge, K. of P., 
Merriam Post, G. A. R., Meriden Coun- 
cil, Chosen Friends, Meriden lodge of 
Elks and Meriden Mutual Aid. 

CAPT. GEO. C. ABBOTTj CO. K. 

George C. Abbott, captain of Com- 
pany K, Second Regiment, C. N. G-, 




CAPT. HENRY CARTER. 

of Wallingford, has been a member of 
that organization for thirteen 3'ears and 
is now serving his third consecutive 
year as the head of that company. He 
enlisted in Company K on June 2, 1893, 
and served three years as a private. He 
re-enlisted on February 14, 1897, and 
was appointed corporal on April 21 of 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



205 



the following year. He was elected 
second lieutenant December i, 1898, and 
on June 20, 1899, he was chosen first 
lieutenant of the company. He served 
in that office for five years and on Jan- 
uary 5, 1904, the company elected him 
as their captain. At one time he was 
a member of the Hubbard Hose com- 
pany of Wallingford and is at present 




MAJOR JOS M TOWXSEXD 

a member of Court Robert Wallace, A. 

0. F., of that town. He was born in 
Milford, Conn., and took up his res- 
idence in Wallingford, August 4, 1889. 

CAPT. DANIEL FITZPATRICK, CO. G. 

Enlisted in Company G, July 30, 1883; 
second lieutenant October 19, 1886; 
first lieutenant November 15, 1887 ; cap- 
tain February 3, 1899. 

CAPT. JOSEPH DECANTILLON, CO. L. 

Enlisted in Troop I, Fifth U. S. Cav- 
alry, June 14, 1898; discharged at Por- 
to Rico, May 2, 1899. Enlisted in Co. 

1, Second Infantry, March 3, 1901 ; ap- 
pointed corporal in 1901 ; appointed cap- 
tain of Co. L, Nov. ID, 1903. 

MAJOR JOSEPH H. TOWNSEND. 

Major Townsend is a New Haven 
boy, born and bred. He is a graduate 



of the Yale Medical school and at pres- 
ent is the secretary of the state board 
of health. On July i, 1891, he enlisted 
in Co. F, Second Regiment. Was ap- 
pointed assistant surgeon by Captain 
John B. Doherty, in September, 1892, 
and surgeon, with the rank of major, 
by Col. Lucien F. Burpee, June 11, 1856. 
He has since held that office. 

LIEUT. EDWARD S. MOULTON. 

Lieut. Molton is a native of New Bed- 
ford, Mass. He is a graduate of the 
"^'ale Medical school of the class of 
1894 On No\ ember 19, 1895, he en- 
listed in Co F, Second regiment, and 
was appointed assistant surgeon of the 




CAPT. E. S. MOULTON. 

regiment on Jan. t, 1904. He will soon 
be the surgeon general of the state bri- 
gade. 

CAPT. ARNON A. ALLING. CO. D. 

Enlisted in Company F, November 7, 
1897, second lieutenant Co. D, Jan- 
uary 31, 1901 ; captain, January 14, 1906. 

CAPT. GEO. E. HALL, CO. E. 

Enlisted Company F, January 21, 
1896; second lieutenant Company E, 



206 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



E, March 31, 1898; first lieutenant, July 
5, 1898; captain, April 30, 1901. 

CAPT EDW. 0. GRUENER, CO. F. 

Enlisted in Company, r, August 12, 
1886; corporal July 30, 1890; dis- 
charged and re-enlisted August 12, 1891 ; 
sergeant and discharged August 12, 
1893 ; sergeant and discharged August 

12, 1893. ^nd re-enlisted; sergeant No- 
vember 5, 1893 ; discharged and re-en- 
listed August 19, 1895; sergeant June i. 

13, 1898; second lieutenant September 
1897; discharged and re-enlisted March 
7, 1898; first lieutenant, November 9, 
1898; captain, September 5, 1900. 

CAPT. WM. B. SPENCER, CO. C. 

Enlisted in Co. C, April 2, 1897; cor- 
poral Feb. 12, 1898; sergeant March i, 
1899; second lieutenant. May 11, 1899; 
first lieutenant, June 12, 1903; captain, 
December i, 1903- 

CAPT. FRANK PAULV, CO. B. 

Enlisted in Company B, Second Reg- 
iment, May II, 1892; corporal July 22, 
1895; sergeant, February 6, 1896; dis- 
charged May II, 1897, and re-enlisted 
on same date ; first sergeant November 
17, 1897; second lieutenant, December 
7, 1898; first lieutenant, January 19, 
1899; captain December 13, 1899. 

CAPT. HENRY B. CARTER, CO. A. 

Enlisted in Co. A, Dec. 24, 1883 ; 

corporal, Aug. 12, 1885 sergeant, Nov. 
15, 1888; discharged Dec. 24. 1888, and 
re-enlisted on same date; first sergeant 



Aug. 9 ,1890; discharged Dec. 24, 1890, 
and re-enlisted on same date; sergeant 
major March 11, 1891 ; second lieuten- 




CAPT. G. E. ABBOTT. 

ant Co. A., Jan. 2 ,1893; first lieuten- 
ant, March 15, 1893 ; captain Dec. 26, 
1899. 



HISTORY OF THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS 



Founded on the love which Damon 
had for Pythias, the Knights of Pyth- 
ias were organized in Washington, D. 
C, on February 19 ,1864. by Justus H. 
Rathbone, a government ofificial. He 
saw in that time of carnage and death 
the germ of an order that should prove 
a power in dispelling the warmth of sec- 
tional strife and restoring the health of 
men to a basis of universal brotherhood. 
For years the fires burned low upon the 
altars of the young and struggling 
brotherhood, but as time passed the or- 
der grew until it now has gained a per- 
manent foothold in everv state in the 



Union and has even gone be^'ond the 
seas ; there are lodges in England. 

In a short time after the Knights of 
Pythias was organized there were only 
three subordinate lodges with only sev- 
enty-eight members. The brotherhood 
appealed so strongly to the young men 
of the coulitry that it rapidly grew in 
favor until at the present time there are 
at least 600.000 members in good stand- 
ing. 

The intentions of the order are to 
visit the sick, relieve the distressed; to 
watch over the dying; to bury the dead; 
to comfort the widow in her affliction : 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



207 



to exercise a guardianship over the or- 
phans ; and. in fact, to fully follow out 
the Golden Rule : "Whatsoever we 
would that men should do unto us and 
ours, do we even so unto them." 

It is a secret organization — the sec- 
ret of a family circle — for the purpose 
of protecting those who join its ranks, in 




C. E. SHIVELY, 

Supreme Chancellor Knights of Pythias 

order that they may know one another — 
the talismanic Brotherhood of Knights 
of Friendship. By no means is the 
Knights of Pythias a labor union. It 
takes no part in disputes between em- 
ployer and employe. In the lodge room 
millionaire, laborer, mechanic and pro- 
fessional man meet upon the broad and 
level plain of equality. Each deposits, 
as in a safety fund, his monthly contri- 
bution and thereby secures a sufficiency 
to meet the wants and rigors of winter. 
It is also the aim of the order to se- 
cure employment for such of the mem- 
bers as who may be without it. Sect 
or religion does not count. All that is 
necessary is that an applicant should be 
a white male and believe in the Father- 
hood of the Lord and the Brotherhood 



of Man. The motto of the Knights of 
Pythias is "Friendship, Charity and 
Benevolence." 

The membership of the Knights of 
Pythias extends over the best part of 
this continent. There are fifty-four 
Grand domains, having a total of 6,008 
subordinate lodges, with a membership 
of over 443,615 loyal knights. In ad- 
dition there is a uniform rank of twen- 
ty-one brigades, of ninety-two regiments 
with an addition of nineteen corporate 
regiments, with a total uniformed mem- 
bership of about 50,000. 

There is also in the Knights of Pyth- 
ias an endowment or insurance rank 
with 2,355 sections, with a membership 
of 37,000. The endowment rank is rap- 
idly meeting with favor and the mem- 
bership is constantly increasing. 




J. S. STOKES, 
Brigadier General U. R. K. P. 

In this state the Knights of Pj-thias 
is popular. There are tifty-iive subor- 
dinate lodges with a membership of 
nearly 6,000. These lodges have cash 
on hand to the amount of $47,182 and 
total assets of $56,378.88. Thousands of 
dollars are paid out each year in relief 
funds. 



208 



CKXTEXXIAL OF MERIDK.V, 



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C f- > 

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^; n Q ^ C 
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- [^ i S : 










CENTENNIAL OE MERIDEN. 



209 



There is also in the state a brigade 
of the uniform rank consisting of two 
regiments of twenty divisions and a 
membership of 800. There are twenty- 
five sections of the endowment rank in 
the state. At the present time it costs 
from $10 to $25 to join the order. 




CUL. C. E. PEARSUN. 

The intention of the body is to dis- 
seminate and teach to all mankind, who 
are worthy and will listen, the doctrines 
and precepts that are the foundation of 
this order, and by doing so give to 
these principles their true meaning and 
widest application. A true knight is a 
friend of his brother knight, and will 
ever aid him in all worthy efforts. Char- 
ity is the perfection of friendship, and 
without it friendship is of little worth. 

The benevolence of the order and of 
its friendship, challenges the admira- 
tion of the world, and merits the grati- 
tude of the widow and the orphan. One 
of the strongest features of the 
Knights of Pythias is the endowment 
rank. It is the beneficial branch of the 
order, providing a cheap, equitable and 
perfectly reliable endowment of $1,000, 
$2,000 or $3,000 to members of the or- 
der exclusively who are not over fiftv 

14 



years of age. It is endowed by and un- 
der the Supreme lodge of the world. 
The endowments are paid in full im- 
mediately upon the receipts of proof of 
death. 

GEN. JOSEPH S. STOKES. 

Joseph Stephen Stokes, brigadier gen- 
eral of the Uniform Rank, Knights of 
Pythias, and past eminent commander of 
St. Elmo commander}-, Knights Tem- 
plar, was born on Wednesday, June 8, 
1845, in England. He is the son of Ste- 
phen and Martha (Birch) Stokes, and 
his father, an industrious gun-lock mak- 
er, who came to this country with his es- 
timable wife and small children, to take 
an important position in the works of 
the Wesson Fire Arms company, at 
Springfield, in 1867. Some years later 
he came to Meriden, and became asso- 
ciated with his son at the Parker Gun 
shop, where he continued until his re- 




CAPT. A 



S-MITH. 



tirement from active labor. He died at 
his home in 1887, and was followed by 
the death of his estimable wife two years 
later. 

Joseph S. Stokes received a thorough 
training in the "three R's" and at an 
early age began to learn the trade of 




FACTORY E, INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO. 




FACTORY E. INTERNATIONAL SILVER CO. 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



211 



gun-lock maker. Under his fatlier"s 
guidance he became a skilled workman, 
and before he had been employed at the 
bench a great many years became a con- 
tractor at the shops in his native town. 
It was in 1869 that he came to this 
countr^• and to Meriden, where he read- 




CUL. C. A. S'i'L'RDY. 

ily secured a position in the Parker 
Bros.' gun shops. His skill as a me- 
chanic and reliability were at once rec- 
ognized by the concern, and within the 
year he was rewarded for his indus- 
triousness by receiving a contract. This 
was followed by others, and he contin- 
ued as a contractor at the same factory 
continuously from 1879 to 1904. when he 
retired from active business with a com- 
petency, and possessing the good will of 
the seventy-five men whom he employed. 
Having taken a most responsible part 
of the manufacture of the superior guns 
made at the large plant where he de- 
voted so many years, he is given full 
credit for earning a share of the high 
reputation of the concern which it is 
accorded by the trade. 

Perhaps no resident of Meriden is 
more favorably known and popular in 
fraternal organizations than he : and this 



is the result of his sincere interest in 
the welfare of the several secret bodies 
of which he has been for many years 
affiliated. He has received the highest 
honors within the gift of the state in 
the Knights of Pythias, having served as 
grand chancellor commander. He has 
served several different terms as chan- 
cellor commander of Myrtle lodge, of 
Meriden. His interest in that order 
prompted him to form the local com- 
pany of the uniform rank, and which 
company bears his name. In 1901 he 
was honored with the rank of brigadier 
general of the uniform rank and with 
the exception of the year 1905, when 
detained at home from the effects of a 
slight shock of paralysis, he has never 
failed to accompany his order to dis- 
tant cities upon all occasions. 

General Stokes has been connected 
with the different Masonic bodies for 





COL. G. R. TRVOX. 

many years, and has been likewise hon- 
ored by that estimable order. He is one 
of the past masters of Center lodge. 97, 
V. & A. M., past high priest of Keystone 
chapter, 27, R. A. M., a past illustrious 
master of Hamilton council, R. & S. M., 
and eminent commander of St. Elmo 



212 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



conimandery K. T. He is a member of 
Meriden lodge, 35, B. & P. O. Elks, of 
which lodge he has served as exalted 
ruler and in addition to that has held 
the office of district deputy. He is a 
past chief, ranger of Court Excelsior, 6, 
Foresters of America, and while a del- 
egate to the national convention of that 




COL. H. C. OSBORNE. 

order held in Detroit, settled the agita- 
tion and controversy over the color line. 

Mr. Stokes resides in his own com- 
fortable and hospitable home, at 14 
Queen street. He was one of the 
most valued members of the committee 
arranging the Centennial celebration of 
Meriden, and served as chairman of 
the Committee on Parades. 

General Stokes became a member of 
Myrtle lodge, of Meriden, in Septem- 
ber, 1870. He passed through all the 
chairs, and for several terms he held 
the office of chancellor of the lodge. 
He next went into the Grand lodge, and 
it was twenty years before he accepted 
an office. He was elected grand vice- 
chancellor on October 19, 1897, at the 
meeting of the Grand lodge in New 
Haven. He became grand chancellor m 
1898, and in the following year supreme 
representative. When the Uniform 



Rank was instituted he became a mem- 
ber of the J. S. Stokes company, of this 
city, and served for years in the rank 
and file. He was appointed assistant 
adjutant general on the brigade staff of 
the state, and in 1900 was elected briga- 
dier general of the Uniform Rank and 
was re-elected in 1904. He still holds 
that position. 

COL. CHARLES E. PEARSON. 

Colonel Pearson has been a member 
of the Knights of Pythias for the past 
eighteen years. He has been chancellor 
commander of the Naugatuck lodge and 
is a member of the Grand lodge. For 
several terms he has held the office of 
district deputy and has been a member 
of the Uniform Rank since its institu- 
tion. 




COL. W. E. THOMS. 

Colonel Pearson is an ardent worker 
in the interests of the Uniform Rank in 
the domain of the state. He was ap- 
pointed assistant adjutant general im- 
mediately after the death of H. G. 
Bestor of Hartford, and was commis- 
sioned on November 15, 1905. 

COLONEL GEORGE R. TRYON. 

George R. Tryon, the commander of 
the Second brigade of the Uniform Rank 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



213 



of the Knights of Pythias, is a member 
of Myrtle lodge of Meriden. He has 
been an active worker in the order for 
the past twenty years and always has 
the interests of the Knights of Pythias 
at heart. 

He is a member of the Grand lodge 
and is now serving as master of work 




CAPT. J. A. WIGNALL. 

in the lodge. He has filled several 
positions in the Uniformed Rank. As 
colonel of the Second regiment he has 
won the admiration of his associates and 
commendation of his superior officers. 

CAPTAIN A. B. SMITH. 

Captain A. B. Smith is a comparative- 
ly new officer on the brigade roster of 
tlie Second regiment of the Uniformed 
Rank of the Knights of Pythias. For 
the past fifteen years he has been an ac- 
tive worker in the Pythian brotherhood. 
He has made a good record and his rep- 
utation is of the best in the state. 

He is genial, kind and modest in his 
manner and has hundreds of friends in 
and out of the. order. 

CAPTAIN JOHN KAY. 

John Kay is the captain of the J. S. 
Stokes company of this city. He was 
born here in 1878 and attended the pub- 



lic schools. During the Hispano-Amer- 
ican war he enlisted in Company L. 
With that organization he went to Fort 
Knox, on the coast of Maine, and from 
there to Virginia. When he was mus- 
tered out of the service he returned to 
Meriden and enlisted in Company I six 
3'ears ago. He became a member of 
Myrtle lodge. Knights of Pythias, in 
1891. At the present time he is the 
chancellor commander of that lodge. 
He is a manly young man with a frank 
and open countenance and is sure to 
be heard from later in the ranks of 
Pythianhood. He was a member of the 
Veteran Hose company and at present 
is in the employ of the Britannia com- 
pany. 

HORACE O. CASE, G. K. R. AND S. 

Horace O. Case, of Hartford, is be- 
yond all question, the most popular man 
in the Knights of Pvthias in this state. 




HORACE O. r\.^l 

He is held in the highest esteem by all 
who have the pleasure of his friend- 
ship. For more than twenty-five years 
he has held his present office in the 
order of which he is a shining mark. 
At the meeting of the Grand lodge in 
1879 he was elected grand keeper of 
records and seals and ejfch year there- 
after he has been re-elected, not a can- 



214 



CENTKNNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



didate for that arduous office appear- 
ing against him. He was introduced to 
the mysteries and benefits of the 
Knights of Pythias in Washington 
lodge of Hartford. He passed through 
chairs and was then chosen to his pres- 
ent position. He is sure to be re- 
elected at the next annual assembly of 
the Grand lodge. 

ADJT. AND CAPT. WIGNALL. 

James A. Wignall, captain and adju- 



a staff appointment under the late reg- 
imental commander and was appointed 
adjutant, with rank of captain under 
Colonel George H. C. Osborn, of Nor- 
wich. 

COLONEL GEORGE H. C. OSBORN. 

In Pythian circles, Colonel Osborn 
has always been active to advance the 
interests of the order. He became a 
member of Wauregan lodge, No. 46, of 

Norwich, and rose to be past chancel- 




CURTIS HOUSE, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



tant of the First regiment of the 
Knights of Pythias, became a member 
of the order when he joined the Joseph 
T. Dowdall lodge, of Bridgeport. He 
filled various positions in the subordi- 
nate lodge and became a member of T. 
M. Smith Co., No. 4, of that city. In 
a short time he became its captain but 
retired a few 'years ago. He is a mem- 
ber of the Grand lodge. He received 



lor which position of trust he occupied 
for several years. He served in the 
uniformed rank as battalion major. His 
extreme courtesy, geniality and evident 
desire to build up the order to the 
highest plane, and especially the First 
regiment, resulted in his being elected 
at the last assembly as colonel of that 
body. He is a member of the Grand 
lodge. 



CENTEXXIAL OF .Ml-:Rir)KX. 



21 



COL. GEORGE A. STURDY. 

The record of Colonel George A. 
Sturdy, assistant quartermaster general 
on the brigade staff of the Knights of 
Pythias, in the order has been one of 
exceeding usefulness ever since he be- 
came a member of TrtmibuH lodge of 
New London. He became chancelllor 
commander of that lodge which he rep- 
resented in the Grand lodge. For sev- 
eral years he has been active in frater- 
nal correspondence. As battalion adju- 
tant of the First regiment, his ability 
and work attracted the attention and 
commendation of his superior officers. 
It resulted in his appointment on the 
brigade staff. 



GRAND CHANCELLOR THOMS. 

William E. Thoms, the present may- 
or of Waterbury ,is the grand chan- 
cellor of the Grand lodge of the 
Knights of Pythias of Connecticut. He 
was elected to that exalted position in 
Knighthood at the last annual session 
of the Grand lodge held in Waterbury 
on October 17, 1905. Grand Chancellor 
Thoms was created a knight in Com- 
stock lodge and passed through the sev- 
eral chairs. He was elected grand out- 
er guard of the Grand lodge in 1900. 
His progression was rapid until his elec- 
tion to his present office. His term will 
expire at the annual assembly of the 
Grand lodge in October of this vear. 



THIRD ANNUAL ENCAMPMENT 
OF THE UNITED SPANISH WAR VETERANS 



The third annual encampment of the 
Connecticut department of the United 
Spanish W^ar Veterans was concluded 
here in the afternoon. Seventy delegates 
attended the encampment, which began 
Wednesday, and the Centennial made 
their visit a most enjoj-able one. 

The following were elected for the 
ensuing year : 

Department commander — ^fajor John 
Q. Til son, New Haven. 

Senior vice commander — H. H. Saun- 
ders, Hartford. 

Junior vice commander — S. E. Mag- 
son, Hartford. 

Judge advocate — F. E. Johnson, 
Hartford. 

Chaplain — C. S. Bullock, Stratford. 



Surgeon — Dr. J. W. Wright, Bridge- 
port. 

Inspector — Irving D. Wilmot, Nor- 
walk. 

Council of administration — H. N. 
Godfrey, Norwalk ; W. J. Rawlings, 
New Britain ; Charles Anders, Bridge- 
port ; Harvey A. Leonard, New Haven ; 
N. G. Valentine, Hartford ; Charles 
Gollnick, Meriden. 

Delegates to National encampment — 
F. E. Johnson, Hartford ; Fred A. Hill, 
Norwalk ; F. S. Cornwell, New Ha- 
ven : B. S. Honce, Branford ; W. W. 
Bullen. New Britain ; E G. Dygert, Nor- 
wich : W. H. Rees, Meriden ; Ernest P. 
Leonard, Bridgeport; H. H. Saunders, 
Hartford. 



2l6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Friday, June 15 Wallingford Day 



While the spectacular features were 
not so much in evidence to-day and the 
crowds were not quite as large as yes- 
terday still the interest in the big Cen- 
tennial events- of the week kept up to 
the highest pitch. The arrival of the 
famed Putnam Phalanx at noon was an 
event and they were warmly cheered as 
they got off the train. 

Wallingford day meant an elaborate 
programme of addresses which were 
given in the afternoon at the First Con- 
gregational church. These exercises 
were particularly appropriate as the 
Centennial celebration here marks the 
setting off of the Town of Meriden from 
Wallingford. 

Organist W. P. Vinal played an m- 
troduction, which he followed with the 
grand old hymn, Coronation, sung by 
the audience. The invocation was then 
given by Rev. John J. Blair, pastor of 
the First Congregational church, of 
Wallingford. 

Rev. Joseph E. Wildman gave a most 
interesting summary of early church 
life in Wallingford under the heading of 
"Sketches of the Three Colonial 
Churches in Wallingford." 

E. R. Brown, of Cheshire, gave a 
summary of Cheshire's affiliation with 
the town of Meriden. He spoke on 
■'Glimpses of Cheshire's Early History 
and Representative Men." 

Mr. Vinal gave another organ volun- 
tary and this was followed by an ad- 
dress by Judge Leverett M. Hubbard, of 
Wallingford, who spoke upon "Walling- 
ford in the Revolutionary Period." 

A son of Wallingford who has done 
great things as a soldier and who is 
now living at Hyde Park, Mass., Gen- 
eral Henry B. Carrington, gave a remi- 
niscent address on "Wallingford Life 
and Gossip of Seventy Years Ago." 

The audience united in singing 
America and the benediction was pro- 
nounced bv Rev. Mr. Blair. 



ADDRESS BY REV. J. E. WILDMAN 

When, in the providence of God, it 
became expedient for our remoter an- 
cestors to leave old England, cross 
what, compared with the present, was 
an almost trackless sea, in order to 
found new homes in this new world, 
we have reason to be thankful that 
those who selected what we know as 
Connecticut, and particularly that por- 
tion which is near to us, were largely 
from the yeomanry of the mother 
country, and so of a class which would 
not be easily intimidated by, nor dis- 
couraged at the sight of difficulties. 

To leave their native land, and un- 
dertake a perilous journey of such 
distance, in order to clear a stubborn 
wilderness, and erect new homes un- 
der the difficulties and privations inci- 
dent to the task, called for men of the 
most sterling quality and of strenu- 
ous endurance. They were not gov- 
erned by a mad thirst for gold, nor 
did they plan great business enter- 
prises. 

Their primary object was to estab^ 
lish new homes, and found new towns, 
which were ultimately to merge into a 
new commonwealth. All that is im- 
plied in this required of them the po- 
session which they proved to have had 
of the stuff from which heroes and 
martyrs are made. 

But another quality was found in 
them, and that to an eminent degree. 
They were a God fearing people. More- 
over, they were as strenuous and 
thorough-going in their religious views 
and life, as they were in other matters. 
This is shown particularly in the very 
earliest stages of the settlement of 
Wallingford, and while they were 
clearing the forests and erecting 
abodes for their families. The town 
was settled from New Haven in 1670. 
One of their first cares was to make 



CENTENNIAL OF MKHIDEN. 



217 



provisioin for the church of God and 
the offices thereof. And so in their 
inchoate state, they secured the ser- 
vices of a young man from New Ha- 
ven, by name of John Harriman, who 
ministered to them in the matters of 
religion for the space of two years. He 
was one of tlie signers of the planta- 
tion covenant, and a graduate of Har- 
vard college. The first settled pastor 
was the Rev. Samuel Street, who came 
in 1()72. Samuel Street was the son 
of Nicholas Street^ who was for some 
time assistant to, and who succeeded 
John Davenport as sole minister in 
Centre church. New Haven. Samuel 
Street followed Mr. Harriman, and be- 




REV. J. E. WILDAIAN. 

came the first settled minister of the 
church in Wallingford, on the organi- 
zation of the church. He was or- 
dained in 1675 and remained pastor 
of the church until he died in 1717. 
Mr. Street was graduated from Har-. 
vard in 1G64. He was 40 years old 
when he came to Wallingford, and 
therefore his period of service was 45 
years, 42 of which he was the ordain- 
ed pastor. 

In connection with Mr. Street's set- 
tlement over the church in Walling- 
ford, the records disclose a very inter- 
esting and suggestive fact bearing up- 
on the character and disposition of 
these early and hardy colonists of 



Wallingford. Not only was it voted 
to send ox teams to the head of Tide 
Water, to receive and bring his goods 
to town, but at a court of election held 
at Hartford, May 12. 1081, the court, 
for the encouragement of Mr. Street, 
granted him under certain conditions, 
two hundred acresof land, besides which 
there was alotted to him a house lot 
containing six acres of land. All this 
betokens the prevalence of a spirit 
among those early settlers, to share 
and share alike in their dealings with 
the clergy. 

Mr. Street, becoming enfeebled, was 
given, in 1710. a colleague, in the per- 
son of Samuel Whittlesey, who had 
graduated five years earlier from Yale 
college, and who remained here unto 
his death in 1752. Mr. Whittlesey re- 
mained here forty-two years. 

Dr. Chauncey, of Boston, is said to 
have spoken of him as one of the 
greatest men in Connecticut. For 
many years he was a fellow of Yale 
college. 

President Stiles, in an obituary of 
Mr. Whittlesey, published shortly after 
his death, is instructive. "He minis- 
tered intellectual food, and entertain- 
ed his audience with the beaten oil of 
the sanctuary." 

After the decease of Whittlesey 
there was a great deal of contention 
in the selection of a successor, in con- 
sequence of which the church was a 
long time without a pastor. 

Although over twenty candidates 
had been heard, the feelings and opin- 
ions of the people were so divided that 
they had been unable to unite in the 
settlement of any one of them. 

At last a committee was appointed 
with instructions to consult neighbor- 
ing clergymen for advice in the situa- 
tion. The instructions were complied 
with and they were advised to send to 
Mr. Holyoke, president of Cambridge 
college, Mr. Appleton, minister of 
Cambridge, and Dr. Chauncey of Bos- 
ton, for their direction to some suit- 
able candidate for the ministry in said 
Wallingford. The result was that 
James Dana, of Cambridge, a gradu- 
ate of Harvard of the class of 
1753, was recommended and was 
invited to visit Wallingford to 
preach as a candidate for settle- 
ment. He accepted the invitation 
and after he had preached a few 



2I< 



CKNTENNIAL OF MKRIDKN. 



Sabbaths, both the church and society, 
with apparent harmony, extended to 
him a call to become their pastor. 
There appeared to be a good deal of 
unanimity in giving him a call to the 
work of the ministry in the society. 
None appeared in opposition, though 
some few of the committee were not 
satisfied with respect to his doctrines 
and soundness. 

But all this was little more than a 
lull before the storm. Church and 



from the first church, some of whom 
helped to organize what came to be 
known as the Wells' society. But Mr. 
Dana was installed as pastor, and by 
his ability as a pastor and teacher, he 
largely overcame much of the opposi- 
tion, and after a time many of those 
who had withdrawn from the first 
church, came back to the old church 
home, especially those who had cast 
in their lots with the Wells' society. 
Thus the opposition to Mr. Dana 




RESIDENCE OF FRANCIS ATWATER. 



society, with apparent harmony, unit- 
ed in giving Mr. Dana a call, but the 
•voting of the call was immediately fol- 
lowed by the organization of a strong 
opposition. It would be hardly in 
keeping to attempt, in a paper of this 
brevity, to give a summary of all that 
happened in connection with the set- 
tlement of Mr. Dana as pastor of the 
first church of Christ in Wallingford. 
Certainly a storm was raised that ef- 
fected the religious world of Connecti- 
cut beyond measure. Many withdrew 



gradually wore away. In 1758 he was 
called as pastor of the church in Wal- 
lingford, being then in his 23d year. 
In 1768 he received the degree of D. D., 
from the university of Edinburg. His 
health being impaired, in 1785 
James Noyes was chosen as his col- 
league, but the doctor's health was 
soon after so much restored that he 
was able to perform his part of the 
duties, both public and private, with- 
out any serious embarrassment. In 
1789, being then in his fifty-fourth 



CENTENNIAL OF MKRIDEN. 



219 



yeai", Dr. Dana was called to the 
charge of the First church in New 
Haven, in which position he remained 
sixteen years and a half — until 1805. 
He died in 1812, at the age of seventy- 
seven. James Noyes, who had been a 
colleague of Dr. Dana since 1785, con- 
tinued in charge unitl 1832, when his 
relations were dissolved at his own 
request, and amicably. He lived 
twelve years after that and died in 
1844, aged seventy-nine years. 

The Rev. E. R. Gilbert succeeded Mr. 
Noyes, in 1832, and remained until his 
death in 1874, aged sixty-six. Thus is 
given a sketch of the first Colonial 
church in Wallingford, whose influ- 
ence for good has been a long and an 
honorable one, and claims our high- 
est respect and congratulations. 

One unusual thing may be noticed in 
closing. Each of the above success- 
ive pastors remained in active charge 
for a period of over forty years. 

SECOND COLONIAL CHURCHi. 

We now turn to briefly review the 
story of the second Colonial church 
in Wallingford. 

The Puritans were not the only re- 
ligionists who sought homes in New 
England, and in Connecticut. Just 
when they came and how many there 
were, we have no means of telling, 
but quite early in the settlement of 
Wallingford there was quite a sprink- 
ling of those who adhered to the 
mother church of England. These 
people in conditions of life, as well 
as in character and disposition were 
quite like their neighbors, saving in 
religious views. They seemed, how- 
ever, to get along together pretty well. 
But these people were at a disadvan- 
tage in respect to religious matters. 
The Congregational church was the 
state church, and was supported by 
taxation, and these taxes were laid in- 
differently upon all the citizens. All 
were poor enough to feel the burden, 
but the members of the church of Eng- 
land felt it twice as hard. If they 
supported the services of their own 
church they must pay a double por- 
tion, which, under the circumstances, 
became burdensome. They were un- 
able to build churches for themselves, 
and so for a long time their only re- 



source was for families to meet to- 
gether on the Lord's day at some ac- 
cessible private house and have lay 
services. But on the 11th of May, 
1727, in response to the petition of 
Moses Ward, of Fairfield, church war- 
den, and other church wardens, vestry- 
men and brethren, a bill was passed 
by the General Court of Connecticut, 
which, under certain satisfactory con- 
ditions, diverted such taxes collected 
from members of the church of Eng- 
land to the support of a clergyman of 
that church, who should minister to 
them; and the members were also al- 
lowed to tax themselves for the sup- 
port of their clergyman. Directly af- 
ter the passage of this act parishes 
began to be organized, and church 
houses erected in which to worship. 

About 1740 the parishoners of North 
Haven and Wallingford united into 
one church by the name of Union 
church. 

And soon a plain building, sufficient 
for the accommodation of these fami- 
lies, was erected, somewhere between 
Pond Hill and Clintonville, a part of 
which was still standing a few years 
ago. 

Four different clergymen, missionar- 
ies for the society for the propagation 
of the Gospel, ministered to the cong- 
regation of the Union church. 

But in 1752 the Union church was 
placed within the jurisdiction of the 
Rev. Mr. Camp, a native of Middle- 
town and a graduate of Yale college. 
Under his ministrations the church so 
increased in members and strength 
that it became expedient to make dif- 
ferent and more efficient arrange- 
ments. Accordingly the Union so- 
ciety was dissolved as early as 1757, 
and the Wallingford parishoners took 
measures for the erection of a church 
house in the village, which was finish- 
ed in 17G2. 

On January 29, 1761, St. Paul's par- 
ish voted, "That there shall be preach- 
ing a proportionable part of the time, 
according to what they pay, at the old 
society in Wallingford, Cheshire and 
North Haven." 

This action probably had in view the 
return of Samuel Andrews, who 
had already acted as lay reader here 
while he was in Yale college, and who 
was at the time in England for the 



220 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



purpose of receiving holy orders. At 
this time Mr. Andrews' brother was 
one of the wardens of St. Paul's 
church. 

We have now reached a most im- 
portant period in the Colonial history 
of St. Paul's parish. 

In that portion now constituting the 
town of Meriden, lived a family of 
eight sons by the name of Andrews, 
all of them members of this parish. 
Seven of these united their slender re- 
sources in order to send their young- 
est brother, Samuel, to Yale college 
to be educated with a view to the sa- 
cred ministry. 

On his graduation and attainment of 
canonical age, he proceeded to Eng- 
land, where he received deacon's and 
priest's orders, at the hands of Dr. 
Sherlock, then Bishop of London, and 
under whom were all the Colonial par- 
ishes. He returned January 23, 1762, 
with the appointment of missionary of 
S. P. G., to Wallingford, North Haven 
and Cheshire. 

In this position he remained about 
twenty-three years, an able, faithful, 
laborious and successful clergyman, 
winning the warmest affection of par- 
ishioners, and the honor and esteem 
of all who who knew him. He was a 
contemporary of Rev. Dr. Dana, 
pastor of the Congregationad church, 
between whom a warm, personal 
friendship grew up, that was not sev- 
ered until death. 

Of the parish for sixty-five years 
following the retirement of Rev. Mr. 
Andrews little can be said. About 
the time of his removal several fami- 
lies went to Nova Scotia, and there was 
a large emigration to different parts 
of the state of New York. 

In consequence of these removals the 
parish was reduced to about twenty 
families. But this staunch few held to- 
gether and kept up the services and 
perpetuated its life as best they could, 
until, at the close of its first century 
of existence, in 1841, it had so far re- 
covered lost ground as to number six- 
ty-five communicants. Since that time 
it has kept on in a pretty even and 
steady course of growth. 

THIRD COLONIAL CHURCH. 

The First Baptist church in Wal- 
lingford was organized in 1735, as the 



third Baptist church in the state. Its 
membership consisted of ten families 
with Timothy Waters as pastor. The 
church building was located about on 
the line between Wallingford and 
Meriden. Later this church moved to 
Meriden and is now called the First 
Baptist church of that place. 

In 1700 the Second Baptist church 
of Wallingford was organized and lo- 
cated in the southern part of the 
town. After several years this church 
was disbanded and in 1817 the present 
First Baptist church was organized 
and now has a membership of 350 
with a Sunday school of 250. From 
this church twenty-nine members 
were dismissed in 1803 to form the 
First Baptist church in Waterbury. 
From the Second Baptist church were 
dismissed members, in 1804, to form 
the Baptist church in Westfield, Mid- 
dletown. The influence of this church 
has been far reaching in influence and 
usefulness among the people. 

ADDRESS BY E. R. BROWN. 

As a representative of Cheshire, I 
hv'ing to Mother Wallingford the sin- 
cere salutation of her oldest daughter, 
and to our younger sister, Meriden, our 
heartfelt congratulations. Not only on 
your remarkable growth and prosperity 
which has been yours to enjoy during 
the past half a century, but on this in- 
teresting occasion which brings us to- 
gether to-day. 

We are forcibly reminded to-day that 
change marks the tract of time. Were 
a person who lived here loo or even 
fifty years ago to appear upon the scene 
to-day, it would be like coming into 
a new world. So complete would be 
the change in the entire landscape. 
Surely we are living in a transitional 
period of the world's history and it is 
well for us in imagination to turn back 
the dial of time and stand where our 
fathers stood too or more years ago. 
There seems to be a disposition on the 
part of some to ignore the past. Crit- 
icism has become destructive, rather 
than constructive. Cut away from the 
old moorings and turn away fi'om the 
ancient track of our fathers this is the 
cry we often hear in our day- This to 
my mind springs from a false idea of 
progress. It regards each historical event 
as isolated and independent. Is it not 
true that each event is related to other 
events and eacli age is vitally connected 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



221 



with other ages. No generation in the 
strictest sense can begin its own work. 
It reaps fields that have been sown by 
others. To understand what we are to- 
day we need to go back to the toils 
and hardships of our ancestors. It was 
their rude schoolhouses which prepared 
the way for our splendid system of edu- 
cation. It was their struggle for politi- 
cal and religious freedom that gave us 
the greatest republic on the face of the 
earth. It was their intense conviction 
of their accountability to God that 
fruited in the rugged virtues of New 
England character. The life blood of 
eight preceding generations of men and 
women is in our veins to-day. The 
New Haven colony under the leader- 
ship of Davenport and Eaton in the 
year 1667 voted to set off a certain por- 
tion for the forming of a new planta- 
tion. The village formed in accord- 
ance with this vote was called Walling- 
ford after the old English home of some 
of the planters. This included what is 
now Cheshire and Prospect as far as 
the center. Soon the fertile valleys 
where springs abounded and the green 
self-sustaining fields on the west side 
of the river invited a westward settle- 
ment. The sons of Wallingford's first 
proprietors here made settlements. John 
Hotchkiss and Joseph Ives, I am con- 
fident, settled here previous to the vear 
1700 and as far as I can learn were 
the first settlers. There are those who 
think Timothy Tuttle was the first set- 
tler and that he built the first framed 
house, but as he was not married until 
the year 1706, being at that time only 
twenty-five years of age, I am led to 
thiilk the former preceeded him as set- 
tler. Other early settlers were Nathan- 
iel Bunnell, Thomas BrooVs, Stephen 
Hotchkiss, Beniamin Hall, Benjamin 
Moss, John Hull, Benjamin Hull, Ed- 
ward Parker, Matthew Bellamv, Elna- 
than Beach, Benjamin Lewis, Abra- 
ham Doolittle, Thomas Cnrtiss, Samuel 
Rovs. Moses Atwater, Henry Bristol 
and others. Several of these persons 
made settlements before anv roads were 
made to their dwellings. However, roads 
were soon built and settlements made 
from Cook Hill and the fresh meadows 
westward to Mill River, and the West 
Mountain. 

When the first settlements were made 
in this localitv the Indians were quite 
numerous. They had wigwams in the 
valley east, now known as Copper Val- 



ley, in the valley to the north leading to 
Tunxis valley and at Moss Farms where 
they were often seen. It was from 
these Indians that the original planters 
purchased these lands. Lutle did these 
Indians think when they e.Kchanged 
their lands for a few articles such as 
spoons, hatchets, knives, scissors and 
English cloth, that in a few years this 
feeble band of settlers would increase 
to thousands, that the large and exten- 
sive forests where they had often wan- 
dered, would so soon yield to the axe 
in the hands of this muscular yeomanry. 

Long ago these Indians disappeared, 
the small remnant of the Quinnipiacs 
left these hunting grounds and the 
graves of their fathers and wandered 
away to other lands. No monurnental 
tablets perpetuate their memory. The 
smoke of their wigwam fires can no 
longer be seen, the war whoop and the 
war dance around their camp fires are 
no longer heard and seen. The bow 
and arrow, the tomahawk and other im- 
plements of Indian life, although occa- 
sionally ploughed from the fields and 
kept as relics are seldom visible around 
their habitations. When the first set- 
tlements were made in what is now 
Cheshire the wolf and the bear were 
occasionally visible along the hedges 
east and west of the center and the 
early settlers often were in distinct hear- 
ing of the howl of the wolf and the 
growl of the bear. 

As settlers increased they soon were 
desirous of becoming a distinct society 
and in 1718, Thomas Brooks, Stephen 
Hotchkiss and Matthew Bellamy, com- 
plained to the General Assemblv, that 
by reason of the distance to the old 
town of Wallingford and their disad- 
vantage to appear in public worship and 
also to educate their children, they pe- 
titioned to be set off a distinct society, 
forty-five families being found to reside 
within the limits of the proposed new 
society and the estimated value of their 
real estate about' 2,000 pounds. The 
committee of examination decided that 
it was best for them to remain with 
the old society at Wallingford. Sabbath 
after Sabbath these early settlers rode 
on horseback and went on foot to the 
mother church at Wallingford and lis- 
tened first to the Rev. Samuel Street, 
and then to the Rev. Samuel Whittlesey 
as they faithfully proclaimed the ever- 
lasting gospel. The request to be set 
off as a distinct societv did not end 



222 



CENTENNIAL OF MI:KII)KX. 



with this refusal; the subject was con- 
stantly agitated and in 1723 the district 
first called the West Farms of Wal- 
lingford, was constituted a distinct so- 
ciety by legislative grant. It then re- 
ceived its name of the "Parish of New 
Cheshire," by which name it was known 
and recorded until the incorporation 
of the town of Cheshire in the year 1780. 
At the first meeting in July, 1723, 
they voted to build a meeting house 
and to hire a minister for six months. 
The Rev. Samuel Hall was engaged as 



lingford was not favorable at first to 
this division but a few years later it 
seemed, even to the old church, a wise 
provision and the town of Wallingford 
by vote granted liberty to ye West farm- 
ers to have a minister of their own and 
to some extent help to sustain him. 
Thus about twenty-five years after the 
first settlement, the first religious so- 
ciety was organized which formed the 
First Congregational church of Chesh- 
ire. The church at its organization 
consisted of eleven male and fifteen 



I 




OFFICF MERIDEN FIRE .VR.MS CO. 



this supply. The meeting house was to 
be forty feet long by thirt\- feet broad, 
and 18 feet between posts without a 
steeple. Caleb Matthews, Timothy Tut- 
tle, Josiah Hotclikiss, Nathaniel Bun- 
nell and Thomas Curtiss were chosen 
a committee to manage the work of the 
meeting house. In Dec, 1724, the first 
church was organized and the Rev. 
Samuel Hall ordained its pastor. This 
church edifice stood perhaps one-eighth 
of a mile south of the present Con- 
g-regational church. Naturally Wal- 



female members. I seem to see this 
little band as they enter the onh' open 
door perhaps with one of the Psalms 
of David upon their lips. I see them 
seated in this plain, unadorned room 
with no carpeted floor, no cushioned 
seats, no frescoed walls, no glittering 
chandelier, but to their subdued spirits 
this was none other than the house of 
God, and the very gate of heaven. 
Here their children wer^ baptized and 
there they received the ordinances of 
the Gospel. During the cold winter 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



223 



iiKintlis previous to the erection of Sab- 
ba day houses, so-called, this little com- 
pany spent the hours of intermission 
around the blazing fires prepared for 
them at the houses of Deacon Stephen 
Hotchkiss and Josia Hotchkiss who re- 
sided near this first meeting house of 
the parish of New Cheshire. This was 
the onl}- church organization in the 
place, until the organization of the Epis- 
copal church in 1751, their first church 
edifice being erected in the year 1760. 
The M. E. church was organized in 
1834 and. the Roman Catholic church 
in 1859. In the }'ear 1732 the smallpox 
broke out in this infant settlement and 
out of a population of about 400 souls, 
124 of their number were sick with this 
disorder, of which number seventeen 
died. So many were sick at one time 
that it was impossible to obtain nurses 
to care for the sick or even help suf- 
ficient to bury their dead. Some of the 
most influential of this society died. 
Of this number Nathaniel Bunnell (a 
direct ancestor of Meriden's honored 
townsman, H. W. Lines) Thomas 
Brooks and others were sadly missed. 
At a meeting of the General Assembly 
a short time afterward fifty pounds was 
appropriated for the benefit of the suf- 
ferers at New Cheshire. From this 
time forward the population of the par- 
ish grew very fast; large families were 
the rule in those days. The children of 
both sexes married and settled largely 
in the same locality. From a popula- 
tion of about 400 in 1732 the population 
increased to i,Q33 in 1774. The popu- 
lation of Wallingford at that time was 
2.133, only 200 more than the Cheshire 
society and Meriden's population at that 
time was 852. so you see we outnum- 
bered Meriden at that time, 1,081, more 
than double. While Cheshire has held 
its own, sometimes running ahead and 
then back again to about the same 
number and to-day probably our popu- 
lation would not be only about too 
larger than in 1774 by last census 1,989. 
while Wallingford and Meriden show a 
remarkable increase in their population 
as the last census plainly proves. 

The turnpike was built in 1800. The 
canal was built in 1826. The North- 
ampton railroad built in 1848. Prospect 
was set off as a distinct town in 1827. 

An old professor, once speaking to a 
t:lass of yoimg men studying law. said : 
"Young gentlemen, when you get to 
practicing law, if you ever have a client 



who is guilty, never let him be brought 
to trial." To which one of the young 
men replied : "Well, professor, suppose 
we have to bring him to trial, what 
then?"' "Well, if you are forced into 
court,"' said the professor, "try every- 
thing else but your client. Try the op- 
posing attorney, try the judge, try all 
the witnesses, try everything and every- 
body, but don't try your own client for 
he won't stand it." So, in reference to 
Cheshire's growth, I have but little to 
say, I prefer to try Wallingford or 
Meriden. Yet we believe present pros- 
pects are more favorable to its growth 
in the future. 



With our fathers, religion and educa- 
tion went hand in hand. As soon as 
settlements were made, first the meet- 
ing house was erected and almost si- 
multaneously, action was taken towards 
the erection of schoolhouses. In 1728 
the society voted to build two school- 
houses, one of them near the church 
and a committee was appointed to man- 
age school affairs. Before this time, 
however, as earh^ as 1715, the farmers 
on the west side of the river sent a 
petition to the town of Wallingford 
asking the privilege of opening a school. 
The bounds described extended as far 
west of the river as Timothy Tuttle's 
and Timothy Beach's. This request 
was granted and schools were opened 
in several private houses. Several 
years before schoolhouses were erected 
in different parts of the society. The 
spectacle of a person being unable to 
read or write was an unusual thing in 
those days. 

.XC.'XDEMV. 

I take this opportunity to refer to the 
Episcopal Academy of Cheshire. This 
academy was first built in 1796. This 
institution has sent forth a large num- 
ber of young men who have subsequent- 
ly filled positions of honor and useful- 
ness in the field of business, literature 
and in the learned professions all over 
our land. Many of her sons are now 
living, whose presence at each recur- 
ring anniversary furnishes unmistaka- 
ble evidence of their love, fidelity and 
attachment for this time-honored insti- 
tution. This year is to be a sort of a 
year of jubilee with this academy and 
hundreds of its alumni will gather at 
its annual commencement next week to 



224 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



rehearse the days that are past and in 
many ways to do honor to their alma- 
mater. The buildings have been re- 
modeled and the grounds greatlly im- 
proved within the past two years. It 
has received modern equipments, its 
name changed to "The Cheshire 
School.'" Its surroundings are ver>- at- 
tractive, has an able corps of teachers, 
and is one of the best preparatory 
schools in our land to-day. 

RE\"OLUTIOXARV WAR. 

Cheshire's sons have ever been true 
and loyal to their country in its hour 
of peril and danger. In the Revolu- 
tionan,- struggle, from 1775 to 1783, and 
in the civil war, from 1861 to 1865,. they 
nobly bore their part. In the Revolu- 
tionan.- struggle, from the Lexington 
alarm in 1775 to the close of the con- 
flict and the disbanding of the army 
in 1783. Cheshire and Wallingford's sons 
fought side by side in nearly even.- en- 
counter, with Capt. Couch; Cook, Ar- 
nold and Bunnell, under Col. David 
Wooster. Col. Thaddeus Cook. Col. 
Wadsworth and others. I have already 
found the names of 125 Revolutionarj- 
soldiers who enlisted from the Chesh- 
ire societ\-, and feel confident more 
names are to follow, and that the num- 
ber will reach 140 who faithfulh- served 
their countn,- in the defense of the col- 
onies. 

It is related that when the British 
invaded New Haven in July. 1779. Col. 
Street Hall, of Wallingford. rode over 
the hills and through the valleys at a 
furious pace, swinging his pointed hat 
and shouting. "Turn out The British 
are in New Haven !" 

The farmers had just commenced 
reaping their grain on the hills, and 
rushed forth with all possible speed to 
their homes, after their trusted mus- 
kets, and marched forth to assist in 
driving back the invading foe. 
"Thev left their plough shares in the 

■ field. 
"Their flocks and herds without a fold. 
'"The sickle in the unshorn grain. 
"The com, half garnered, on the plain." 
and rushed to the rescue of the col- 
onies. 

It is related of Adam Thorpe, a 
member of the Cheshire company, who 
marched to the Elast Haven shore and 
there met the British regulars : being 
overpowered, the company retreated to 
Fort Hale, but young Thorpe stood his 



ground, saying he would not run for 
the whole British army. He was shot 
down near the gateway of the Mitchell 
mansion, a short distance from Fort 
Hale. Ralph Lines, of the Sixth reg- 
iment, died on one of the prison ships 
in New York harbor, December 21, 1776. 
When offered his freedom if he would 
join the British army he replied, "I 
would rather die of starvation on board 
this ship than to betray my countn.." 
Ethural Brooks was killed at Saratoga 
with his face to the foe. Josiah Smith, 
while acting in the defense of the pa- 
triot cause m the town of Betham-, was 
attacked by a company of British sym- 
pathizers who terribly cut his face with 
a sword- They told him they would 
do him no injurj- if he would espouse 
their cause ; he replied : "You can cut 
me to pieces, but I will not be a traitor 
to my country."' There are those now 
living who remember his scarred and 
mutilated face, which he carried to his 
death. Derre Brooks, when offered 
a pension, refused, sa>-ing, "I want no 
money for serving my country.'' Capt- 
David Hitchcock was present at a re- 
ception given to Gen. Lafayette in 
Hartford after the close of the war. 
On returning to his home he was met 
by a Tor\- acquaintance who spoke 
sneeringly of the general and of this 
demonstration in his honor. Capt. Da- 
vid got out of his wagon and threatened 
to whip this man at once if he did not 
take back what he had said- He knew 
the captain too well to doubt his word, 
and made the demanded retraction. 
These are samples of some cherished 
patriots in Revolutionary- times. 

Cheshire received its act of incorpo- 
ration as a dstinct town in 1780. This 
was during the dark and tn.-ing daj-s 
of the Revolutionary- war. and much of 
its earliest action pertained to this 
struggle. At its first town meeting Ma- 
jor Reuben Atwater, Israel Bunnell and 
Jonah Hotchkiss were chosen a com- 
mittee to supply the soldiers' families 
with provisions, and during the entire 
struggle, by word and deed. Cheshire's 
sons in the field were constantly remem- 
bered- 

REPRESEXTATIVE MEN. 

Cheshire has had representative men 
ever since its first settlement, men ca- 
pable of filling honored positions in 
nearly even.- station in life. I will men- 
tion a few of these : 



jCZ3IIIiE3" 



^--jjiiiTF* jT-^ T r«nc 



Tae at 



-ur .».i^ 



- T^PfT "■ JaC i £r3IIE55Sr IE J*". 




j;..ir ai iae zna^ re irg ih-^ i 



•sm Jii jK±sv£f 



226 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Andrew Hull, known as Squire An- 
drew Hull, was a prominent official of 
the town. He was sent to the Legisla- 
ture thirty-six different sessions and 
nineteen different years. This was 
when two sessions were held annually. 
He was trying justice, selectman and 
constable for many years. He was 
known as a man of great decision of 
character. With him Yes! meant Yes! 
and No ! meant No ! every time. In a 
case brought before him for trial, if the 
time set for the same was 9 o'clock and 
the parties did not apppear promptly at 
that time the case was non-suited at once 
with the remark, "Nine o'clock means 
just that time with me and not even 
ten minutes after." 

Hundreds of Cheshire's sons have 
gone forth from the place of their birth 
and become prominent settlers in nearlv 
every state in our Union. Some of 
them were pioneer settlers and became 
leaders in the communties where they 
dwelt. 

First, as you are doubtless aware, 
Charles Parker, j-our first mayor, and N. 
L. Bradley, the head of the'Bradlev & 
Hubbard Mfg. Co., were born in Chesh- 
ire. That they have been important fac- 
tors in Meriden's growth and prosperitv 
and among your most highly honored 
and influential citizen^, is known to you 
all. 

Welcome E. Benham, for many years 
a leader in your Y. M. C. A., "and in 
your school advancement, a man of de- 
cided principle in reference to all ques- 
tions bearing upon religion and morals, 
was of Cheshire birth. 

John Parker, Edmund Parker, Al- 
meron Miles, and other men of note 
were born in Cheshire. 

Stephen Rowe Bradley, born in 1754. 
graduated with honors at Yale in 1775, 
moved to Walpole. Mass., as a perma- 
nent settler. was elected to the 
United States Senatee and continued a 
member for sixteen years. He was 
president of the United States Senate 
in 1802 and 1803 in place of Aaron 
Burr. 

Rev. Dr. Joseph Bellamy, graduated 
at Yale in 1735. studied for the min- 
istry and became one of the most emi- 
nent divines of his generation. He was 
ordained as pastor of the Congregational 
church at Bethlehem in 1740. He was 
an eloquent preacher and a noted writer. 
He was one of the most gifted of Chesh- 
ire's sons. 



Rev. Sherlock Bristol, the "Pioneer 
Preacher," so called, was born in Chesh- 
ire in 1815, graduated at Oberlin col- 
lege. He has had a remarkable history. 
A writer of several books and now in 
his ninety-first year, he is one of the 
most honored ministers of Southern 
California. His writings and his preach- 
ing give no uncertain sound in refer- 
ence to the fundamental principles of our 
Christian faith. 

Rev. Asahel Stevens, the first minister 
at the Center Congregational church in 
Meriden, was a native of Cheshire. He 
was afterwards the pastor of the Con- 
gregational church at Peoria, 111., for 
many years. He was a good preacher, 
a faithful pastor and greatly beloved by 
his people. 

Rev. Dr. George E. Street, who was 
pastor of the Congregational church at 
Exeter, N. H., for over a quarter of a 
century, was one of the most influential 
ministers of that section, and held a very 
warm place in the hearts of his people- 

Hon. John A. Foot, a son of Gov. 
Foot, graduated at Yale, studied law, 
and after practicing a few years in 
Cheshire, settled at Cleveland Ohio. Was 
judge of the Superior court for several 
years and held many ofifices of public 
trust. Augustus Foot, a brother, also 
settled in Cleveland, O., where he was 
a prominent banker- 

Admiral A. H. Foot, another brother, 
was born during a temporary so- 
journ of his parents in the city of New 
Haven. His parents returned to Chesh- 
ire when he was six years old and here 
he spent his youthful days at the old 
Foote homestead. We claim him as one 
of Cheshire's sons. 

Judge Peter Hitchcock graduate at 
Yale in 1801, studied law in Litcheld, 
commenced practice in Cheshire, moved 
out to Burton, Ohio, in 1806. He went 
out in company with several other set- 
tlers, with an ox team, consuming forty 
days' time in the journey. He became 
a very influential man in the place of 
his adoption. Was elected to the U. S. 
Senate and was a judge of the Su- 
preme court from 1826 to 1852. He was 
a very plain man and it is related of 
him that on his way to Washington, 
when first elected to Congress, he 
stopped at a hotel for dinner. At once 
the inquiry was made by several look- 
ers on, "Who is that seedy-looking fel- 
low?" Very soon several persons came 
in and accosted him as Judge. General 
and Senator. This grcatlv surprised the 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



227 



guests, who made up their minds they 
had missed their mark. 

Micah Brooks, a native of Cheshire, 
moved out into the Genesee valley in 
1796, was county surveyor for many 
years, was an honored citizen of the 
state of New York, was elected to Con- 
gress and was for twenty years a judge 
of Ontario county courts. His descend- 
ants are filling prominent positions in 
western New York to-day. 

John Kensett, the celebrated painter, 
was born in Cheshire. His artistic skill 
has furnished decorations for many a 
mansion in this and other lands. He 
now sleeps in the beautiful Greenwood. 
No song shall awake him to glory 
again. 

George A. Jarvis, a successful mer- 
chant in New York, was a native of 
Cheshire. His interest and attachment 
for this his native town, was always 
strong and abiding as manifested b}' his 
generous benefactions to the town, the 
Episcopal church and the Academy 
where he was a student for a number 
of years. The granite shaft erected on 
the green in front of the Congregational 
church to the memory of Cheshire's sons 
who fell in the Civil war, had its source 
in his benevolent heart. His memory 
will be perpetuated by these blessings 
bestowed, long after dust shall have 
returned to its kindred dust. 

Hon. Tilton E. Doolittle, for many 
years a prominent lawyer and state at- 
torney for New Haven county, was a 
Cheshire boy. He commenced his prac- 
tice in Cheshire, afterwards practicing 
in the city of Meriden and later remov- 
ing to New Haven where he had a suc- 
cessful practice. In many ways he 
was highly honored by his fellow 
citizens. 

Rev. Reuben Ives graduated at Yale. 
He was the first rector of the Episcopal 
church in Cheshire. Through his influ- 
ence more than to any other one man 
the Episcopal Academy was established 
at Cheshire and delivered the chief ad- 
dress at the laying of its corner stone. 

Edward Stevens, a brother of Rev. 
Asahel Stevens, married a daughter of 
Chauncey Jerome, of New Haven. 
Conn., the clock manufacturer. He af- 
terwards went to England for his 
father-in-law, and had charge of his 
business there for about twenty years. 
Returning to New Haven he was duly 
appointed the secretary and treasurer 
of the New Haven Clock Co., filling 



this position until the time of his 
death in 1887. He left a large estate 
as well as a legac}- more enduring of 
an honest, upright and useful business 
and Christian life. 

Amasa Hitchcock was the first post- 
master of Cheshire and held that posi- 
tion from General Washington's to Gen- 
eral Jackson's day. His son, Robert 
Hitchcock, born in 1804, was appointed 
midshipman from Connecticut in 1825, 
and was appointed commodore in 1862. 
His last command was on the frigate 
jNIerrimac which w-as sunk by the Con- 
federates. He was considered an able 
and considerate naval officer. 

Two hundred and sixty-eight years 
ago my ancestor, Francis Brown, came 
over from England in advance of the 
colony and was one of the company that 
spent the winter of 1637-38 in a hut 
which they had erected on the north- 
east corner of what is now College and 
George streets, in New Haven. Samuel 
Brown, a son of Erancis, was one of .the 
original subscribers for the settlement 
of the village of Wallingford and set- 
tled on what is now known as the 
Moses Y. Beach place. Probably there 
are many others present to-day who can 
trace their kindred back to the early 
settlers of the New Haven colony. 

Yes ! More than 250 years ago our 
ancestors came to these New England 
shores and found here an almost un- 
broken wilderness. Into this wilderness, 
with all its prospective dangers, priva- 
tions and sufferings they entered and 
from that time until the present hour, 
our beloved state and nation has expe- 
perienced no struggles in which they 
have not borne their part and no tri- 
umphs in which they have not shared. 
All these years they have assisted in the 
work and in the burden bearing neces- 
sary in forming these towns, founding 
a state and in rearing a nation. Let us 
ever prove ourselves worthy descendants 
of such a noble and self-sacrificing an- 
cestry and ever be in readiness to bear 
our part in all the exigencies that may 
arise in our state and nation and ever 
be true to the glorious birthright God 
has given us in this land of the free 
and home of the brave. 

ADDRESS BY JUDGE L. M. HUB- 
BARD. 

The history of Wallingford, which 
tells of high purpose, faithful en- 
deavor and honorable achievement in 



228 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



every generation from the settlement 
of the town in 1670 until the pres- 
ent time, contains no chapter which 
moi-e largely contributes to its en- 
during honor and renown, or morp 
strongly appeals to the sentiment of 
local pride, than does the story of its 
patriotic services in the "Revolution- 
ary period." 

The Wallingford men of that day, 
by reason of their antecedents and 
training, were keenly sensitive to any 
infringement of their religious or civ- 
il rights. 

The sixteenth town in the colony 
in the order of incorporation, Wall- 
ingford was the first to be settled 
under guarantees to the church of ab- 
solute independence of the town, and 
immunity from its interference in 
all matters affecting its government 
and discipline. This policy served in 
practice to beget and develop in the 
membership of the church an ever- 
increasing jealousy of its rights and 
prerogatives, and a corresponding 
tenacity of purpose to vindicate them 
whenever assailed. It happily trans- 
pired that at no time thereafter did 
any conflict arise between the church 
and the civil authorities, but never- 
theless, the nurturing process went 
on, and, when many years later, the 
fierce ecclesiastical struggle which 
was to settle determinately the polity 
of the general Congregational order 
■was precipitated in connection with 
the ordination of Dr. Dana, the 
church, though divided, stood forth 
in a large majority, militant, daunt- 
less, like a seasoned soldiery, eager 
to combat for a principle under 
whose sway it had for well nigh a 
century held pre-eminence for the high 
order of its ministry and the intelli- 
gence, zeal, and piety of its communi- 
cants. And the church was success- 
ful in its contention. 

With such men forming the body 
of its citizens, what wonder that on 
the enactment by Parliament of the 
"stamp act," a few years later. Wall- 
ingford was the first town in the col- 
ony to assemble its freemen in spec- 
ial town meeting to consider the 
situation, and that, when thus as- 
sembled on the loth of Janua'-y, 
17 66, they declared their abhorrence 
of the hateful measure, and unani- 
mously "voted and agreed, that if 
anv of said inhabitants shall intro- 



duse, use, or improve any stamped 
vellum, parchment, or paper, for 
which tax or tribute is or may be de- 
mandable, such person or persons 
shall incur the penalty of twenty 
shillings, to be recovered by the se- 
lectmen of said town for the time De- 
ing, for the use of the poor of said 
town." 

Nine years distant from Lexington 
and Concord, while yet under 
acknowledged obligation of obedience 
to the mother country, and utterly 
impotent to resist by force the slight- 
est exercise of her coercive power, 
this public act of defiance with its 
utter disregard of personal conse- 
quences, spoke in tones more indub- 
itable, and sublimer far, of a patriot- 
ism profound and invincible than 
did the hazards and sacrifices of the 
later time, incurred, however freely, 
under constraint of motives and the 
spell of enthusiasm created, or at 
least greatly intensified, by hostil- 
ities actually begun. 

The records discover that during 
those nine dismal years following the 
repeal of the stamp act and before 
■"the embattled farmers at Concord 
Bridge fired the shot heard round the 
world," the inhabitants of Walling- 
ford in every crisis were instant to 
manifest their enthusiastic adhesion, 
and pledge their practical support to 
the cause of the colonies- 

You shall search in vain the 
archives of the period in every town 
throughout the colonies for a more 
splendid revelation of consecration, 
or wisely directed action in behalf of 
the liberties of the people so im- 
minently at stake, than was exhibit- 
ed by the citizens of our town, when 
in special town meeting, November 
29, 1774, with but three dissenting 
votes, adopting the articles of agree- 
ment contained in the "Association" 
formed by the Continental Congress 
at its recent session in Philadelphia 
to insure commercial non-intercourse 
with Great -ncain: then choosing a 
committee to raise money by sub- 
scription to be sent to the selectmen 
of Boston "for the benefit of the in- 
digent sufferers by the Port bill." 
they crowned the record of that illus- 
trious meeting, as with a garland of 
imperishable glory, by appointing a 
Committee of Correspondence "to 
receive and commimicate such intelli- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



229 



gences as may tend to maintain peace 
and Union in this and ttie neighboring 
colonies." 

Before adverting to the record of 
the men of Wallingford in the mil- 
itary struggles of the war, you will 
permit me to make some reference Lo 
a son of Wallingford whose dis- 
tinguished career and services Iiave 
made his place forever secure among 
the immortals of all time. 

Lyman Hall was born in the town, 
and within the limits of the present 
borough of Wallingford on April 12, 
1724, descended in the fifth gener- 
ation from John Hall, who, though 
not a signer of the original coveu- 




JUDGE L. M. HUBBARD. 

ant of the planters, was one of the 
early settlers of Wallingford, remov- 
ing from New Haven within a twelve- 
month after the covenant was enter- 
ed into. 

Graduating from Yale college in 
1747, he pursued theological studies 
under his uncle. Rev. Samuel Hall 
(Yale, 1716), who was the first minis- 
ter of the parish of Cheshire. In Sep- 
tember, 1749, he was settled as minis- 
ter of Stratfield parish, now the First 



Congregational church of Bridgeport, 
Conn., where he remained until June, 
1751. He then took up the study of 
medicine, at the same time being oc- 
cupied for several years as a school 
teacher in Fairfield. 

Removing in 1757 to Dorchester, S. 
C, he pursued the practice of his pro- 
fession until, in the following year, 
anxious to advance his professional 
and personal interests, and attracted 
by the tidings of the prosperity of 
what was known as the Midway set- 
tlement in southern Georgia, he re- 
moved thither. He speedily became 
the leading physician of the town and 
adjacent country. His polite address, 
literary attainments, public spirit, so- 
cial habits, thoughtful views and well- 
rounded character, united in rendering 
him influential and popular with the 
inhabitants of St. John's parish. P^or 
reasons which must be omitted here, 
there existed in the colony of Georgia 
a marked division of sentiment on the 
political questions which agitated the 
community during the years immedi- 
ately preceding open rupture between 
England and America. A provincial 
Congress held at Savannah declined to 
send delegates to the First Continent- 
al Congress, and, thereupon, February 
9, 1775, the people of St. John's parish, 
at a meeting held at Midway and pre- 
sided over by Lyman Hall, deputed a 
committee to repair to Charlestown, 
S. C, and request of the committee of 
correspondence there, permission to 
form an alliance with them under the 
act of non-importation, to which the 
people of St. John's parish had al- 
ready acceded. The committee was 
given a carefully prepared letter, 
framed and signed by Dr. Hall as 
chairman. The request being deemed 
to be in "violation of the Continental 
association to remove the prohibition 
in favor of any part of a province," 
was denied. 

The people of St. John's parish then 
"resolved to prosecute their claims to 
an equality with the confederated col- 
onies," and elected Lyman Hall as a 
delegate to represent them in Con- 
gress. This was done March 21, 1775, 
and in express recognition of the per- 
manent and persistent service of Dr. 
Hall in behalf of the revolutionists. 



230 



CENTENNIAL ()!•" .MERIDEN. 



On May 13, 1775, he presented his 
credentials to Congress, and was 
unanimously "admitted as a delegate 
from the parish of St. John's in the 
colony of Georgia, subject to such 
regulations as Congress should deter- 
mine relative to his vote." Until 
Georgia was fully represented, he de- 
clined to vote upon questions which 
were to be decided by a vote of the 
colonies. He participated, however, 
in the debates, recorded his opinion in 
cases where an expression of senti- 
ment by colonies was not required, 
and declared his earnest conviction 
"that the example which had been 
shown by the parish which he repre- 
sented would be speedily followed and 
that the representation of Georgia 
would soon be complete." This soon 
came to pass. On the 7th of July fol- 
lowing, the provincial Congress ap- 
pointed a full delegation to the Con- 
tinental Congress, of whom Lyman 
Hall was one. 

As Horace Bushnell has somewhere 
said, referring to the powerful influ- 
ence of Lyman Hall on the sentiment 
and policies of his colony in this 
period, "thus was Georgia led into 
the revolution by the hand of Con- 
necticut,' or, as we, with pardonable 
pride, may better say, "thus was 
Georgia led into the revolution by the 
hand of Wallingford." 

Dr. Hall continued, under successive 
reappointments, to serve his colony in 
Congress until 1781, participating in 
all its deliberations relative to the 
adoption of ihe Declaration of Inde- 
pendence, and signed that immortal 
instrument in associating with his co- 
delegates, Gwinnett and Walton. 

On his return to Georgia he maue 
his home and practiced his profession 
in Savannah. In January, 1783, he 
was elected the first governor of the 
Independent state which ofl^ce he 
held for one year. He discharged its 
functions with marked dignity and 
competency, and it should be remem- 
bered to his perpetual praise that by 
his wise suggestions he sounded the 
keynote and paved the way for the 
foundation and sustentation of the 
"University of Georgia," which for a 
century has proven the parent of high- 



er education and civilization in 
Georgia. He died October 19, 1790, and 
was buried, as was also his only 
child, John, who died before him, and 
his widow, who but a few years sur- 
vived him, in a substantial brick vault 
situated on a bold bluff overlooking 
the Savannah river. About 1850, his 
remains were removed to Augusta, the 
capitol of his state, and in front of the 
City hall were buried with those of 
George Walton, his associate signer, 
under the foundation s«ones of a gran- 
ite obelisk erected in loving com- 
memoration of their illustrious virtues 
and public services. The tablet orig- 
inally covering his grave was, some 
years later, presented to the state of 
Connecticut, by whose order it was de- 
posited in the Center street burying 
ground in his native town of Walling- 
ford, and on the 5th of July, 1858, was 
dedicated with ceremonies of an elab- 
orate and interesting nature. The tab- 
let bears this inscription, doubly pa- 
thetic from the fact that its beauti- 
ful sentiment was the tribute 
of his bereaved widow, who composed 
it: 



Beneath this stone rests the 
remains of Hon. Lyman Hall, 
formerly governor of this 
state, who departed this life 
on the 19th day of October, 
1790, in the sixty-seventh year 
of his age. In the cause of 
America he was uniformely a 
patriot. In the incumbent 
duties of a husband and a 
father he acquitted himself 
with affection and tenderness. 

But reader, above all kno\v 
from this inscription that he 
left this probationary state as 
a true Christian and an honest 
man. 

"To those so mourned in death 
so loved in life. 

The childless parent and the 
widowed wife, 

With tears inscribes this mon- 
umental stone. 

That holds his ashes and ex- 
pects her own." 



CKXTEXXIAL OK MKRIDEN, 



231 



Such is tlie story, of necessity inade- 
quate and incomplete, though com- 
prising the main features, of the public 
career and services of Lyman Hall, 
the most illustrious of all the sons of 
Wallingford, and whose memory shall 
remain as one of her most priceless 
possessions till time shall be no more. 

The news of the first bloodshed at 
Lexington and Concord on that fateful 
19th of April, 177.5, was circulated 
through the colonies by means of 
"horse expresses" and reached Wall- 
isgford on Friday, the 21st inst. Un- 
der the militia establishment which 
prevailed in the colony during the Rev- 
olutionary period, the companies in 
Wallingford and Durham formed one 
regiment, the Tenth, under the com- 
mand, at the beginning of the war, of 
Colonel James Wadsworth of Durham, 
later promoted to a major-generalship 
in the army. The news of Lexington 
w^as carried over to Durham on the 
22nd inst. and on the next day, Sun- 
day the 23rd, Colonel Wadsworth came 
to Wallingford and called for twenty 
volunteers from each of the two Wall- 
ingford companies to unite with twen- 
ty from the Durham company and 
march forthwith to the defense of 
Boston: and in less than eight and 
forty hours, ninety-nine men from 
Wallingford — sixty under Captain 
Isaac Cook, and thirty-nine from Mer- 
iden Parish, members of an independ- 
ent company under Captain John 
Couch — with forty-three from Durham, 
were well on their w^ay to the opening 
scenes of the Revolutionary war. 
These numbers gather credit when it 
is remembered that from the mother 
town of New Haven only fifty-eight 
men, under the command of Captain 
Benedict Arnold, responded to the call. 
An interesting incident is found in an 
account (still preserved in the state li- 
brary) rendered at this time by one 
Jonathan Kilbourn for ferrying Cap- 
tain Couch with eighteen men, four 
horses and one wagon "across Con- 
necticut river at Hartford," at a point 
where the Wallingford company also 
crossed. Thus at the inception of the 
war did our forefathers give incontest- 
able proof of their profound sincerity 
of puipose, when, a decade earlier, or- 
ganizing as bons of Liberty they had 
dared to declare their readiness "to 
oppose the unconstitutional stamp act 



to the last extremity, even to take the 
field." 

No sooner had the Legislature in 
May issued its first call for troops, 
than Isaac Cook, lately returned from 
his brief service in the Lexington 
alarm, responded with sixty more, who 
rallied with a promptness hardly ex- 
ceeded by the men of his earlier com- 
mand. And again on the second call 
in July Street Hall (younger brother of 
Lyman Hall, the signer) and sundry 
others were no less instant in dedicat- 
ing themselves to the cause they held 
so dear. And so, from Lexington to 
Yorktown, few towns, if any, in the 
colony surpassed our own either in 
regard of the number of enlisted men 
or the alacrity with which on every 
appeal they flew to the defense of their 
liberties. Cook's company, marching 
first to New York in late June; thence 
in September, by order of Congress, 
to Schuyler's command— participating 
in the operations along Lakes George 
and Champlain, and assisting in the 
reduction of St. John's in October; 
Captain Street Hall (also lieutenant 
colonel) and Lieutenant Titus Moss 
during the autumn and winter of '75- 
76 with their command at Boston on 
Winter Hill in Sullivan's brigade, on 
the left of the besieging line, 'and 
Street Hall again, with his regiment 
reorganized for service in '76 as the 
"Nineteenth Continental," in the thick 
of the fight at White Plains, Trenton 
and Princeton; Nathaniel Bunnell, 
with his Company 7 of the Fifth Bat- 
talion, Wadsworth's brigade, composed 
of seventy men of Wallingford also at 
White Plains, and at the right of the 
line in the battle of Long Island: John 
Couch, in Bradley's Battalion, Wads- 
worth's brigade, with his eighty-six 
doughty men in large part from Meri- 
den parish, near Fort Lee under Gen- 
eral Green in October '76, assisting in 
the defense of Fort Montgomery in 
November following, and when it fell, 
on the 16th instant, made prisoner 
with thirty-two of his command, to- 
gether with the whole garrison: Thad- 
deus Cook, major in Ward's regiment 
distinguishing himself at Trenton and 
Princeton by the same intrepiditv and 
skill that later brought him lasting re- 
nown on another field. Such is the 
main outline of the movements and oc- 
cupations of our heroic grandsires up 



232 



CKXTEXNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



to the disbandment of the "establish- 
ment" at the end of '76. 

Under the new formation of the 
army, known as the "Continental 
Line," 1777-1781, six regiments of the 
Connecticut "Line," embracing the 
Seventh regiment, whose muster rolls 
were luminous with the names of 
Wallingford men, including Lieut. 
Ephraim Chamberlain who, two years 
later, especially distinguished himself 
at Stony Brook, were ordered at dif- 
ferent times in '77 to Washington's 
main army in Pennsylvania, and, par- 
ticipating in the battle of German- 
town, then at Valley Forge during the 
memorable winter of '77-'78, sharing 
the victory of Monmouth in June fol- 
lowing, they encamped in July at 
White Plains, near the battle ground 
of '76. 

Here they were soon joined by the 
three remaining regiments of the 
Connecticut "Line," which included the 
Sixth, in whose ranks the Wallingford 
men of the "Line," not contained in 
the Seventh, were principally enrolled, 
and among whose officers were our 
own John Mansfield. Joseph Shaler and 
Levi Munson, all Commissioned Lieu- 
tenants. 

These three regiments had served 
under Putnam in August-October, '77, 
and engaged in the movements made 
in consequence of the enemy's attempt 
against Fort Montgomery. Winter- 
ing at West Point in '77-'78 they en- 
camped with the main army at White 
Plains, as just, stated. 

Meantime, the campaign on the up- 
per Hudson had been brought to a tri- 
umphant close in the surrender of 
Burgoyne and his army at the second 
battle of Saratoga, October 9, '77, a 
battle whose tremendous import and 
far-reaching influence well justifies its 
classification by Creasy, recognized as 
an authority of the highest compe- 
tency, as one of the fifteen decisive 
battles of the world. It was not to 
be, thank God, that Connecticut should 
have no part, or yet but a humble part 
in that immortal struggle; nor were 
the dear men of Wallingford, always 
in evidence where lurked the greatest 
peril, or need was, of unconquerable 
valor, to be denied their full share of 
its coveted sacrifices or its surpassing 
glories. 



At the urgent solicitation of Wash- 
ington, two large regiments of militia 
from Connecticut, composed of detach- 
ments from all the brigades, were or- 
dered to re-enforce Gates at Saratoga 
in the summer of '77. The occupation 
of the entire Connecticut "Line" else- 
where under Washington and Putnam, 
exalted the opportunity of these mili- 
tia-men, who, alone from our state, 
(excepting" the first troop of Sheldon's 
famous Light Dragoons, which, includ- 
ing its contingent from Wallingford, 
gave splendid account of themselves) , 
participated in these memorable con- 
tests, sealing the proofs of their cour- 
age and intrepidity m the first battle 
of September 19th, by the loss of more 
men than any other two regiments in 
the engagement. 

One of these regiments, containing 
a goodly number of his towns-men, 
was commanded by our own Tnaddeus 
Cook, who, already distinguished, as 
I have related, for his prowess at Tren- 
ton and Princeton, displayed in both 
Saratoga battles a sublimity of cour- 
age, resourcefulness, and skill, that 
ranks him among the illustrious com- 
manders of the Revolution, and should 
enshrine his memory in the affection- 
ate gratitude of his countrymen to 
the latest posterity. 

At the storming of Stony Point, 
July 15, '79, which for skill, dash and 
completeness of achievement was not 
surpassed in all that war, among the 
four hundred picked men from the 
Connecticut division in the Light In- 
fantry corps that formed a part of 
General Wayne's right column were 
not a few of the brave men of our 
town, including in positions of com- 
mand Captain Ephraim Chamberlain 
of the 7th, and Lieutenant Joseph 
Shaler of the 6th, already mentioned, 
who had been detached for this ser- 
vice. Heroes all. who by the gallant- 
ry and invincibility which they exhibit- 
ed in that terrific, midnight assault, 
achieved a fame and a glory, inviola- 
ble forever. 

The entire Connecticut "Line" were 
encamped with the main army at 
Morristown the following winter. a 
winter the most trying experienced 
during the Revolution — long known as 
the famous winter of 1780. when hun- 
ger, cold and want of clothing caused 
great suffering among the troops. 



CENTENNIAL OF :MERIDKN, 



233 



During 1780, three Light Infantry 
corps had been organized for some 
special object. The first was that de- 
tached in February '81 under Lafay- 
ette to operate in Virginia, and with 
which that officer led his lively cam- 
paign against Cornwallis, being al- 
most constantly on the march, re- 
treating, advancing, skirmishing from 
May until in early August Cornwallis 
took post at Yorktown. It included 
three light regiments, one of which un- 
der Colonel Gimat, a French officer, 
and Colonel Wyllis of the Third, con- 
tained five companies from the Con- 
necticut "Line," one being composed 
of picked men from the Fourth regi- 
ment, one-fifth of whom, including its 
lieutenant, John Mansfield, who was 
detached for this service, were from 
Wallingford; and I have the proud 
satisfaction to relate that another 
member of that command was my rev- 
ered great-grandfather, God bless 
his memory, Timothy Scranton of Guil- 
ford. 

These five companies including, 
mark you well, the Wallingford men, 
with two companies from Massachu- 
setts, and one from Rhode Island, 
formed the battalion which led the 
column that stormed one of the en- 
emy's redoubts on the night of the 
14th of October, the event which, 
more than any other, led to the 
surrender of Cornwallis five days 
later. 

Agamemnon found it an invidious af- 
fair to give the preference to any 
one of the Grecian heroes. And may 
my tongue forever cleave to the 
roof of my mouth, should I wittingly 
by one whit detract from the splendid 
valor of those noble men of my town 
who stood In the van of the storm- 
ing column at Yorktown. But there 
was glory enough for all, and I have 
yet to tell of an act of individual 
gallantry unsurpassed in the annals 
of war, and which crowned that im- 
mortal struggle as with a halo of ce- 
lestial lis-ht and beauty. 

.Tohn Mansfield of Wallingford en- 
listed on the first call for troops by 
the Legislature Anril-May '75, in 
Captain Isaac Cook's company and 
served as serseant until the 28th of 
November next following, when he 
was mustered out of service; re- 
enlisting in the Fifth battalion. 



Wadsworth's brigade, in .June 
'76, he was appointed ensign, 
participated in the battle of White 
Plains in the following October, and 
was discharged on the expiration of 
his term of service December 25. 
On the formation of the "Continental 
Line" in January '77, he re-enlisted 
for the war, was commissioned lieu- 
tenant March 4, '77; first lieutenant 
March 31, '79, and continued in the 
service until he retired with the army 
in June '8.3. Detached from the ser- 
vice for that purpose, he was made 
lieutenant of the Light Infantry Co. of 
his regiment, the Fourth, which 
formed a part of the Light Infantry 
corps under the command of Lafaj-- 
ette at the southward in '81, and 
participated, as we have already seen, 
in the terrific assault on the enemy's 
redoubt at Yorktown October 14th. 

Before the advance was made, La- 
fayette called for twenty volunteers to 
form a "forlorn hope," who should 
abandon their lives to certain destruc- 
tion, for the term imports exactly 
that, and, amid the rain of bullets and 
belching flame, and horrible slaugh- 
ter, and every barbarity possible to 
the desperation and fury of hand to 
hand encounter, should attempt to 
scale the gruesome outwork in ad- 
vance of the assaulting battalions. The 
first man to respond was our own John 
Mansfield, who led his compan- 
ions of the "forlorn hope" up 
the steep face of the redoubt, and, 
though wounded in the conflict, was 
first to gain the parapet. His ir- 
resistible dash and God-like courage 
were the fitting climax of all the glo- 
rious sacrifices and brilliant feats that 
had gone before, and should serve to 
transmit his name and fame in ever 
brightening luster to generations yet 
unborn. 

ADDRESS BY GEN. H B. CAR- 
RINGTON. 

My Countrymen — I stand before you 
to-day as a son of our common moth- 
er, Wallingford. Not unlike ancient 
Zion, she sitteth upon a hill of beau- 
ty just over yonder between two sum- 
mits, east and west, the one "Whirl- 
wind Hill" and the other "Mount 
Tom." From each summit, at the 
bright sunrise hour, the opening eye 



-\u 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



can catch the waters of Long Island 
Sound, flashing as beautifully before 
the sight, as when the waters of the 
great western sea of Hebrew history 
delighted the outlook from Lebanon 
or Carmel. Indeed, south of Mount 
Tom, on the New England range, that 
separates Wallingford from her other 
foster-town, Cheshire, known further 
north as the Green and White Moun- 
tains, and with a bold front seaward, 
which you call Hanging Rock, (with 
its perpetual "ice house,") and closing 
with an equally proud frontage to the 
sea at New Haven, called East Rock, 
there was a real Mount Carmel, in the 
town of Hamden, itself deriving its 
name from that of the "Patriot Hamp- 
den" of English history. 

I am not here to trace the colonial, 
revolutionary or progressive lives of 
our common ancestors up to my own 
childhood, more than eighty years ago, 
but to talk familiarly with the grand- 
children, and great-grandchildren of 
those who one hundred years ago left 
the old eagles' nest to migrate hither 
and go to housekeeping for themselves 
directly on the Boston and New York 
stage route just midway between the 
twin capitals of God-worshipping and 
liberty-loving old Connecticut. 

That was a transition period of his- 
toric significance. The people had 
lived under and enjoyed the fran- 
chises and inherited the same rights 
and prerogatives inspired by "Magna 
Charta, that both filled their souls 
and swelled the sails wnen they took 
refuge on this rock-bound coast to es- 
cape the exactions of the unchristian 
and unsympathetic rule of their moth- 
er country. 

Their lives were, indeed, shapen by 
the memories of the past rather than 
by those of the immediate present or 
its opening future; and yet, thi 
"mother nest" must be vacated that 
both mother and offspring might 
have a larger and more independent 
life. Even in my own childhood there 
were still living many grand old men 
and women, who cherished and loved 
to tell stories of the past, which they 
in childhood oft heard whilst seated 
on the knees of the first settlers of 
New Haven and Plymouth. 



The general occupation of the peo- 
ple was that of farming, as was that 
of the ancient Hebrew; but their lands 
gradually became too restricted for 
profitable culture, as generations mul- 
tiplied through their prolific example. 

i must be pardoned a personal rem- 
iniscence, much needed to illustrate 
my thought, as personal reminiscences 
are what largely prompted your call 
for my presence to-day. It is one of 
my earliest memories, and possibly 
more distinct because being the first 
death I ever witnessed. 

On the 19th day of December, ISlill, 
I stood with my mother by the bed- 
side of one of these grand old men, 
her grandfather. Captain Caleb At- 
water. He was living with his 
daughter, Mary (widow of Rev. David 
L. Beebee) while his only son, Joshua, 
a deacon in the Congregational 
church and devoted to its support, 
occupied the old homestead, on the 
diagonal opposite corner, and con- 
ducted its large farming concerns. 

On the day referred to, ever active 
in all home interest, he rode horse- 
back to the North Farms for the fam- 
ily "grist", took cold and peacefully 
crossed the Silent River, at the age 
of 91. He was one of these al- 
ready noticed, full of reminiscences 
of the past. Many of these, preserved 
by my mother, were cherished by my- 
self, as among the most valuable 
lessons of my childhood. 

I especially remember finding his 
old cocked-hat and sword in what 
was called the "Tow Chamber" and 
it was said, that, "when Dick" (Rich- 
ard) Smith, the hired man of Dr. 
Andrews, used the old sword to cut 
cornstalks, I expressed the "wish 
that his own head might be cut off by 
it", which wicked hope, however, was 
never realized. 

Like so many descendants from 
early New England stock and their 
immediate progenitors, his name had 
been borrowed from the family Bible. 
This was indeed a biographical en- 
cyclopaedia from which the old stock 
associated children on their birth 
with the names and places of most 
ancient Bible history, at a time when 
many children were esteemed worthy 
of a divinely promised blessing in the 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDKN. 



■235 



home as of "olive plants around the 
table." 

Indeed, the old family Bible had a 
special "family record" interpolated 
between the Old Testament history 
and its genealogical grouping which 
introduced the historic era of human 
life that began 1906 years ago. I em- 
phasize this point to note the fact 
that this single Atwater surname of 
old Wallingford experience is pre- 
fixed by more than eighty names 
taken from the Old and New Te«ta- 




Gi:X. 11. B. CARRINGTOX. 

ment, ranging from Adam down to 
Titus and Zeanas, which are as fol- 
lows: 

Adam, Aaron, Abel, Abiah, Abigail, 
Abraham, Ahaz, Amzl, Anna, Asa, 
Asaph. Bela, Benjamin, Caleb, Cor- 
nelia, Damaris, Daniel, David, Dorcas, 
Ebenezer, Eldad, Elias, Elihu, Elisha, 
Elizabeth, Elnathan, Enos, Ephraim, 
Esther, Erasmus, Eunice, Ezra. Hi- 
ram, Hiilda, Ichabod, Ira, Isaac, Jac- 
ob, James, Jared, Jehiel, Jeremiah, 
Jesse, Joanna, John, Jonah, Jona- 
than, Joseph, Joshua, Jotham, Levi, 
Lydia, Martha, Mary, Medad, Merab, 



Mehitabel, Miriam, Moses, Naomi, 
Nathan, Noah, Rachel, Rebecca, Reu- 
ben, Rhoda, Ruth, Samuel, Sarah, 
Setb, Silas, Simeon, Stephen, Thomas, 
Timothy, Titus and Zeanas. Perhaps 
without precedent in America's his- 
tory. 

LARGE AND PROMINENT FAMILIES. 

More significant is the fact that dur- 
ing six generations of the same stock 
from the first landing at New Haven, 
1 family was blessed with 15 children 
1 •' " " " 14 

4 " were '" " 13 
4 " " " '" 12 

7 •• " " " 11 

17 " '• " " 10 

17 " '■ " " 9 

23 " " " " 8 

23 .. .. .. ., rj 

16 " " " " 6 

Families, 114; children. 990: ave- 
rage about eight. 

This instance is not an exceptional 
illustration of the faith of our fathers 
in the injunctions and covenants of the 
Almighty Father with Israel and his 
seed forever. 

At that time many of the parents of 
those who migrated to Meriden were 
still living, exchanging frequent visits, 
and bringing many visitors to the old 
homesteads and attendants at the 
home churches during the Thanks- 
giving and Christmas weeks. 

In the erection of their new home, 
(now your Meriden) the churches were 
located centrally as at Wallingford, 
near the central stage exchange tav- 
ern, and upon the highest ground of 
the new town. 

In addition to farming as an occupa- 
tion, with easy access to Middletown 
and its water communication with New 
York and Hartford by sloop as well as 
conveniences in the annual capture of 
Connecticut river shad to be salted for 
winter's use, there began to develop 
new branches of mechanical and man- 
ufacturing industry. With the addi- 
tion of railroad facilities at the foot of 
the hill, corresponding to the Walling- 
ford hill, from its church centers to 
the plains below, the water-power of 
the Quinnipiac river and its tributaries 
began to be utilized and the founda- 
tions were laid for its present unrival- 
ed precedence in many honored 
branches of mechanical product. 



236 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Although Wallingford itself was al- 
most whollj' a farming town, mulberry 
trees were cultivated on the western 
plains below the town to feed silk 
worms from which silk was procured 
for the manufacture of lustring, a 
name then given to material from 
which dresses were made and of which 
Washington procured enough to make 
a suit for himself. 

Enterprising citizens, however, had 
stretched out their arms to grapple for 
both trade and new homes elsewhere 



ford and vicinity contributed from the 
families of Atwater, Andrews, Cook, 
Hall, Kelley and Wilcox more than any 
other New England town. 

Although of personal relation, the 
emigration to Ohio belongs to per- 
sonal reminiscence, which you have 
evoked from me, as I also followed 
Mr. Andrews and yiv. Wilcox, to Co- 
lumbus, Ohio, in 1848. 

Captain Atwater, who initiated the 
Ohio emigration, was president and 
manager of the Connecticut Land 




CAHILL BLOCK. SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



for its multiplying offspring; dealing 
with the West Indies, and even the 
Mediterranean sea. through New Hav- 
en's sea-going craft, and planting 
prosperous and productive colonies 
both in central and northern Ohio. The 
latter was called a "Western Reserve" 
because set apart by the government to 
compensate Connecticut for the sur- 
render of her fantastic "Charter limits 
to the Pacific" long bearing the proud 
title of New Connecticut, to which as 
well as to Columbus, Ohio, Walling- 



Company. which he conducted on 
strict business methods, paying for 
all individual purchases upon receipt 
of the deeds therefor, and began at 
once, to utilize the land for imme- 
diate settlement. His son Joshua, 
and his son-in-law Dr. John Andrews, 
made personal journeys to Ohio, to 
locate their lands designating by the 
name "Atwater," one township, for 
immediate occupation. 

Three of his daughters married in 
Catskill. respectively. Ira B. Day, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



^Z7 



Thomas B. Cook, and ApoUos Cook. 
One son of Mr. Day (William) organ- 
ized the first Seamen's Bethel chapel 
at Cleveland, Ohio, and a daughter be- 
came the wife of Rev. Dr. Aiken, for 
many years minister in the First 
Church at Cleveland, Ohio. One 
daughter married Captain Merrick, of 
Branford, Conn., and another. Dr. 
John Andrews, already noticed. Sev- 
eral of the Merrick children subse- 
quently made their homes in Ohio, 
as well as Dr. Andrews' four children. 
Sherlock J. Andrews settled at Cleve- 
land, where he served as a member 
of Congress and Superior Court judge 
with John A. Foote, from our foster- 
town Cheshire, as his law partner. 
The second son, John Whiting, was 
distinguished as a lawyer at Colum- 
bus, Ohio. The third son, William, 
a farmer, married a daughter of Rev. 
James Noyes of Wallingford, and set- 
tled at Penfield, O. Dr. Andrews' 
only daughter, Jane, married John M. 
Woolsey, who also settled at Cleve- 
land, O., and Dr. Andrews himself, 
subsequently married another daugh- 
ter of Rev. Mr. Noyes, and lived in 
Ohio, and died at an advanced age. 

Several sons and daughters of Cap- 
tain Atwater's only son, Joshua, also 
found homes in "New Connecticut," 
both Thomas and Caleb having first 
lived where the Merricks settled. 
Two sons and one daughter of John 
Barker, of Pond Hill, and later. Dr. 
William Atwater, found their way 
westward, where another daughter 
married Dr. Jared Potter Kirtland, 
who made Ohio the chief center of 
his large scientific experience and at- 
tainment. One daughter married 
Lieutenant Garret Barry of the Army, 
who after the Mexican War, made his 
home still further west at Milwau- 
kee, Wis. Two daughters survive 
him. and live in Wallingford. One 
daughter married Dr. Friend Collk, 
the predecessor of Dr. Harrison, a 
physician of Wallingford, and Dr. 
Cook also moved to Ohio. John, who 
for many years cultivated the home 
farm, also succeeded him as deacon 
of the Congregational church. Upon 
retiring from the farm work, he in- 
terested himself in the public 
schools, dying at an advanced age, 
leaving one daughter surviving him. 



He successively married two daugh- 
ters of Deacon Russell Hall, neither 
of whom survived him. 

Only one son remained permanent- 
ly in Old Wallingford (Edgar) who 
as a lawyer exhibited a versatility of 
strength, eloquence and refined wit, 
that promised eminence in his pro- 
fession, had not death prematurely 
intervened. Three daughters survive 
him. 

Several of the Cooks and Halls 
moved westward; President Hayes 
having married at Columbus, Ohio, 
Miss Piatt, a descendant of one of the 
Cooks, who lived somewhere not far 
east from Long Hill. President 
Hayes in vain endeavored to locate 
its site. 

He visited the old Burying Ground, 
and when he read "In memory of 
Billions Cook" (the Christian name 
"Billions" not being rare) quaintly 
expressed the query, "whether the 
migration of some of the Cook stock, 
westward, could in any measure af- 
fect the Ohio climate." 

Certain it is, that Judge Choate 
thinks it would be "worth a prize" if 
some Wallingford antiquarian would 
discover the origin of the name. 
One of Wallingford's leading citi- 
zens, Mr. Roderick Curtis, famed for 
his ready repartee, when asked what 
the middle initial of one Billions C. 
Cook stood for, promptly replied, 
" 'Billions Colic' of course." 

Phineas B. Wilcox, who lived on 
the eastern border of Meriden, 
towards Middletown, married a 
daughter of Salina Andrews, and 
with her brother Samuel, moved to 
Columbus, O. He became distin- 
guished as a jurist, and as one of the 
founders of the City Common School 
system. There Mrs. Andrews lived 
and died, at a very advanced age. 

Alfred Kelly, from Middletown, also 
moved to Columbus, became a man 
of wealth and influence, and was the 
efllcient president of the first rail- 
road built from Cleveland to that 
city. 

TOPOGRAPHY OF WALLINGFORD. 

You are so familiar with the to- 
pography of our Mother town that I 
refer to it as a guide in reminiscences 
of the past. 



238 



CliXTKNNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



One Main street extends along a 
grassy ridge east of the Quinnipiac 
river and the intervening sea-bed, 
called the Plains, a mile in length. At 
each end a long but easy slope drops 
off, the one from the old Todd house 
near the big elm northward toward 
your own Meriden, and the other 
southward from the old Rice Hall 
house toward North Haven, where it 
blends with the Plains. This street 
is crossed at its center by another 
street (now known as Center street) 
and extends westward across the Quin- 
nipiac river at Humiston's old mill, 
joins the old Boston and New York 
stage route, and connects with what was 
called the "West Farms" and then 
reaches Cheshire. Its course east- 
ward, crossing Munson's brook below 
Elm street, leads through the "East 
Farms,"' (of which further notice will 
he taken) to Northford as well as over 
"Whirl-wind Hill" past Pistepaug 
Lake (Paug pond) and thence to Mid- 
dlefield and Durham. 

From the main street eastward there 
was one gradual slope of a few hun- 
dred yards to a long meadow valley 
east of which the whole country grad- 
ually rises toward "Whirl-wind Hill" 
with here and there small streams and 
narrow valleys intervening. 

Along the foot of the first slope from 
the main street is a parallel street, 
now known as Elm street, but formerly 
called Lower street, the pre-i^nt Main 
street then being distinguished as Up- 
per street. I shall use the old names. 
At the very center of Upper street 
was the historic "Town Green" com- 
mon to all New England towns for 
public gatherings, especially for the 
annual "Training Day," "Independence 
Day," and other rallies of the people 
in mass; "Menagerie Day" being es- 
pecially honored. 

Midway between the center and the 
Rice Hall house, (Doctor Rice Hall, 
his Christian name, as a seventh son 
being Doctor), a street known as Grav- 
el hill (from its red gravel) ran east- 
ward to Lower street and there blend- 
ed with that street in its course by the 
old Edward Hall house (known as the 
"Dublin District" with its splendid 
maples) thence to the .John Barker 
place (known as Pond Hill, a little 
pond of water near by) and thence to 
Northford and North Haven. This 



John Barker, the son-in-law of Captain 
Atwater, was prominent in Masonic 
order, and at his decease was buried 
with full Masonic honors. I remem- 
ber the event as of yesterday. His 
family servant was Cato, the last slave 
owned in the state of Connecticut; and 
Cato in his two-wheeled donkey cart 
and "fiddle," always anxiously waited 
for, was an indispensible factor when 
at Thanksgivings or at other times the 
ball room of the Washington Tavern 
was suitably decorated for an old-fash- 
ioned dance. 

My sister, Mrs. Gilbert, still re- 
members that on one Training Day, 
old Cato rescued her from the onset 
of the Wallingford Dragoons, when 
they suddenly turned the Lewis Cor- 
ner, and scattered the children, who 
were not suspicious of the move- 
ment. 

Eastward from the foot of Gravel hill 
crossing Munson's brook, a lane ex- 
tended to the summit of Long hill from 
which the entire village appeared as 
if upon one common level. This hill 
was topped with slender poplar trees, 
a land mark for miles around, and 
chiefiy known for its huckleberries, 
blackberries, and snakes. 

Midway between the center and the 
Todd place at the head of Upper street 
a street known as Christian street ex- 
tended eastwardly from the present 
High school corner across Elm street 
and Atwater's brook, which finally 
unites with Munson's brook on Center 
street, and then crosses a little valley, 
running up the slope past the old John 
Weber and Hubbaid Jones' places, and 
forming a most direct route to Old 
Durham, Middlefield and Middletown. 

Elm street continuing northward 
from its junction with Christian street, 
extended north eastwardly through the 
"North Farms" and thus formed an- 
other avenue of approach to both Mid- 
dletown and its cross communications 
with your Meriden. 

The house at the head of Main 
street, known as the Todd house, 
from the family occupying it during 
my boyhood, should be known proper- 
ly, as the Royce, or Rice house, hav- 
ing been originally built, perhaps two 
hundred years ago or more, by James 
Royce, (or Rice) the great great 
grandfather of Miss Mary L. Rice, 
the last of the family born in the old 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



239 



mansion, and now a teacher of high- 
er mathematics and history, in the 
Brooklyn, New York, school system. 

From the Todd house to Lower 
street there was also an open roadway 
without a house, but on a short lane 
parallel with it was the house of one, 
John Beaumont, a world-wide voyager, 
eccentric in his ways, but especially 
famous for relics brought from tlie 
East Indies, and choice nautical instru- 
ments which he had preserved upon re- 
turn from his last voyage. 

From the foot of the road sloping 
northward from the Todd house to- 
ward Meriden there branched another 
road to Yalesville, named after Charles 
Yale, where a mill-dam and factory on 
the Quinnipiac river had long been in 
use (formerly known as Tyler's). The 
manufactory products of Mr. Yale had 
a large market, especially at Rich- 
mond, Va., as his son advised me only 
yesterday. There was also a road on 
the "Plains" north of the Parker house 
(hereafter to be mentioned), crossing 
the Quinnipiac river at Horsford's 
bridge, and also the Boston and New 
York turnpike, thence running direct 
to Cheshire. 

The so-called Plains road, running 
north and south parallel with the Up- 
per street (now your own beautiful 
"Old Colony" street), had but one sub- 
stantial residence in its entire length, 
namely the Parker house, and was 
rai-ely used. 

Midway between Center and Chris- 
tian streets, connecting upper and 
lower streets, was another street 
named Academy Lane (from the col- 
legiate academy located there). 

All the streets mentioned were 
lined with choice trees, either elm or 
maple. The trees indicated by its 
name on Elm street were brought by 
ox-teams, belonging to faptain Caleb 
Atwater, from Cheshire, twelve to the 
cart load. 

The maples and elms upon the 
Main street had been Indiscriminately 
planted as the old settlers established 
their homes; but about sixty years 
ago an "Ornamental Tree society" 
was organized by sons of .Tared Whit- 
tlesey, Edgar Atwater, Tves Martin, 
John Butler and Horace Austin, of 
Whirl-wind hill, for the systematic 
planting of standard trees throughout 



the village, which has so greatly en- 
hanced its present beauty. It was my 
privilege to be an active member of 
said society, and assist, during school 
and college vacations. 

BUILDINGS AND ACCESSORIES. 

Time will not permit mention in de- 
tail of all houses then standing, many 
of which have disappeared or have 
been remodeled. 

Between the Todd house and Chris- 
tian street were those of Todd, Parker, 
Hubbard, Jones, Parmelee, Hough and 
Culver. 

Between Christian and Center 
streets were those of Peck, Elijah 
Beaumont, Dr. Parker, S. Yale, Adna 
Hall, John Hiddleston. Hinsdale Ives, 
the Baptist church, Orrin Andrews, 
Morse (afterwards the Moses Beach 
property), Buel, Friend Cook, after- 
wards Dr. Harrison, the Episcopal 
church, L. Carrington's widow and 
store, and house and store of Jared 
Lewis, and on the opposite corner the 
store and house of Deacon Aimer 
Hall. 

Southward from Center street were 
the Congregational church, the old 
tavern opposite, and the houses of 
Whittelsey, Congregational parson- 
age, previously owned by Merrick 
Cook, Rev. James Noyes, Mrs. Bea- 
dles, Widow Thompson, Roxanna 
Hall. Eli Ives, Carriage Maker Thomp- 
son, Augustus Hall, Mrs. Doolittle, 
Randall Cook, afterwards Beverly 
Hall, Elizur Hall, Joseph Hyatt Hall 
and Mrs. Foote, Pomeroy, and Rice 
Hall at the foot of the street. 

On Center street. Deacon Cannon, 
James Carrington's house and store. 
Masonic hall and the old Washington 
tavern, (Named from Washington's 
visit at Jeremiah Carrington's tavern, 
on the 19th of October, 1789. the 
eighth anniversary of the surrender of 
Cornwallis.) Going eastward from Elm 
street were the house and carriage 
shop of Chauncey Munson, and the 
factories of Pomeroy, Elihu Hall and 
Carrington. 

On Christian street were the houses 
of Judge (Esquire) Reynolds, (re- 
placed by one of the "Choate school 
buildings, and opposite, the double 
"gable-roof once that of Squire Stan- 
ley," but occupied by Rev. William 



240 



CEXTEXXIAL OF MERIDEX. 



Curtis, rector of the Episcopal church, 
a brother of Roderick Curtis Esq., 
and at present by the Atwater sisters 
and Mrs. Manning, all sisters, and 
daughters of Edgar Atwater, de- 
ceased. 

The old family mansion of Captain 
Atwater on the northeast corner, now 
occupied by Judge William Choate, 
who married a great-granddaughter 
of the original owner, retains its chief 
ancient features, the immense fire- 
place included, but otherwise modi- 



In view across the Atwater brook 
were the houses of Hubbard Jones~and 
John Webber, the latter long since de- 
stroyed. Adjoining Mrs. Gilbert's on 
Elm street is the house once occupied 
by Dr. John Andrews, (who married a 
daughter of Captain Atwater,) but 
sold the same to Roderick Curtis, of 
New York, who became a prominent 
man in church and all other town in- 
terests, and whose surviving daughter, 
Miss F. J. Curtis, occupies it. 




ARMOUR BUILDING, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



fied for modern convenience, and the 
old Atwater store, dismantled within 
my memory, but adapted for dwelling 
purposes, has been occupied by Dr. 
Huntington Atwater, who is associ- 
ated in the management of the Choate 
school. On the diagonal corner the 
residence of Captain Atwater at the 
time of his death, and then occupied 
by his daughter Mary, widow of the 
Rev. David Lewis Beebe, is still occu- 
pied by her granddaughtei-. the widow 
of Rev. E. R. Gilbert. 



To the northward on Elm street, the 
house of John Ives has been pur- 
chased and removed by Judge Choate, 
but the Mix house and one other still 
remain substantially as of old. The 
remaining houses on Elm street south- 
ward, of old time recollection as far 
as the foot of Gravel hill, were Mar- 
cus Iscariot (torn down when pur- 
chased by Mr. Curtis) and those of 
Randall Cook, Jeremiah Hall, Medad 
Munson, Sarah Hall and Constant 
Kirtland. 



CEXTEXXIAL OF MERIDEX. 



241 



CHURCHES. 

The churches were three in num- 
ber, Congregational, Episcopal and 
Baptist, each of which occupied the 
site of those now in use. 

The Congregational edifice preced- 
ing the one now in use was built by 
James Carrington as architect, and its 
successive ministers were the Rev. 
James Xoyes, who occupied the pulpit 
during my boyhood, and for more than 
forty years; followed by the Rev. Ed- 
win R. Gilbert, a trustee of Yale col- 
lege, who also occupied the pulpit for 
more than forty years. 

The earlier church edifice of this so- 
ciety, so-called a "Three Decker" — af- 
ter the "Man-of-war" fashion, because 
of its two galleries — had the old-fash- 
ioned square pews of early times. 
When the second church was torn 
down for the erection of the present 
edifice, and the great "rooster" weath- 
er vane was removed, it was found 
to have been swiveled up in a rifle 
barrel, which the architect, my grand- 
father, James Carrington, brought 
from the Whitneyville Rifle Works, 
where he was superintendent, and as- 
sociated with Eli "SMiitney, in the 
manufacture of rifles for the govern- 
ment. It was only yesterday, Mar- 
cus Cook, surviving son of Hiram 
Cook, asked me. "what has become 
of that old rifle barrel" and reminded 
me that he was the boy who climbed 
the old steeple, fastened a rope 
around the spire, sawed the vertical 
timbers as he descended to boss the 
big pull, that brought the spire to 
the eround. 

The Episcopal church preceding the 
handsome stone edifice was a frame 
structure, and burned in 1S67. The 
previous edifice was a square building 
without a steeple, with entrances from 
three sides, and old-fashioned square 
pews. A pulpit was ascended an 
each side by a spiral stair-case, and 
hooded over with an umbrella-like 
canopy called the "sounding board." 
During Christmas week it was elabor- 
ately decorated with all manner of 
evergreen adornment, and its history 
has just been given upon this plat- 
form, by the Rev. Mr. Wildman. 

Close by the old Congregational and 
Episcopal churches were horse-sheds 
and small houses, called "Sabaday" or 

16 



Sabbath houses to shelter teams that 
came in from the various farms, and 
to furnish fire conveniences to the 
church attendants for filling their 
foot-stoves with live coals, and brew- 
ing tea which they brought for their 
luncheon at the noon recess, between 
morning and afternoon service. 

The Baptist church preceding the 
present edifice, was a plain structure 
without a steeple. Its minister, at 
my earliest recollection, was Rev. Mr. 
Hawley, the father of Gen. Hawley, 
then a student at the academy, as pre- 
viously noticed. A previous church, 
the ruins of which I remember, was 
located on the corner of the lot at 
present occupied by the Wallingford 
High school, and was known historic- 
ally as the Wells church with rather 
indefinite authority. 

SCHOOLS. 

The schools of Wallingford were 
specified by districts. Those of the 
village were called the North and 
South districts, the others, the "North 
Farm," "East Farm" and "West Farm" 
districts. 

The North district school was just 
above the old Aaron Andrews home- 
stead, afterwards occupied by Sheriff 
Leander Parmelee. whose house was 
destroyed by the Wallingford tornado 
in 1S7S. 

The South district school was just 
south of the Van Cleve house on the 
west side of South Main street, in 
which house I was born in 1S24. This 
was occupied for many years by Ran- 
dall Cook, a leading Democrat, who 
then lived at the old house recently 
occupied by Beverly Hall, deceased. 

At one time in the "Lower" school 
house a writing school was conducted; 
otherwise only the common English 
branches were taught in these schools. 

The Wallingford Academy, so-called, 
occupied the only building upon a short 
street (called Academy lane) connect- 
ing Main and Elm streets (then called 
Upper and Lower streets 1 . This ac- 
ademy taught the higher branches, 
preparatory for entrance to college, 
but its support failed, and the site was 
occupied afterwards by the Dutton 
family. The last surviving pupil of 
this academy was General and United 
States Senator Joseph R. Hawley, late- 
Iv deceased. At the foot of the slope 



242 



CEXTEXN'IAL OF MERIDEX. 



toward Elm street was a large barn 
owned by Jeremiah Hall. This barn 
was one of the wonders of Walling- 
ford. Conversation, shouts, song and 
whistling echoed with intense distinct- 
ness by night or day, to the intense 
amusement and enjoyment of the hap- 
py performers. The unsightly barn 
has disappeared, but some of the echoes 
still live in fancy's ear. 

In contrast with the failure of the 
academy as a school for young men, a 
young ladies' school was maintained 
for years with rare success and ex- 
cellence by Miss Sarah P. Carrington 
(recently deceased, past ninety years 
of age), the grand-daughter of Captain 
Jeremiah Carrington. 

Her grace, refinement and culture 
were honored by the public as much 
as she was endeared to all under her 
charge; and her efficiency in church 
work was as effective and deserving of 
tribute as were other excellencies of 
her noble character. 

She was the daughter of my great 
uncle, Dr. Liverius Carrington, and 
had preserved with great care and 
pride, for more than two generations, 
an old yellow paper, upon which was 
the following memorandum: "When 
General Washington left the town 
for Middletown, and grandmother ex- 
pressed her regret that she had not 
longer time to prepare for his visits 
he kindly answered, 'my entertain- 
ment has been more than I could ex- 
pect, but madam, your gracious man- 
ner would make any entertainment 
most delightful.' " 

Of my own early school days, I 
remember little more than benches 
without backs, playing soldier, nut- 
ting, fishing, a passion for drawing, 
some knack in kniving wood into odd 
shapes, and keeping a crude diary. 
Its chief event took record in 1835, 
when a pupil at the Manual Labor 
Boarding school of Rev. Goodman 
and Dr. Hudson, of Torrinsford, Conn, 
(noted abolitionists) where Rev. 
Horace Day, late of New Haven, de- 
ceased, was my first teacher of Latin 
and Greek. 

I still have the names of all the 
pupils, long since deceased, but a 
single event, as recorded by Mr. Day 
gave tone to my political convic- 
tions, that never abates. This school 



was visited one day by an abolition- 
ist from the adjoining town of New 
Hartford by the name of John Brown, 
who talked upon the African slave 
trade and its horrors with such force 
as to exact from some of the boys a 
pledge ever after to hate slavery. 
His "soul is marching on!'* 

Later study at the Hart and Por- 
ter Boarding school, at Farmington, 
Conn., introduced my college course, 
with intermediate vacations, at my 
old home, but all the adult or com- 
panion contemporaries, many of them 
bvit vaguely remembered, have passed 
away. 

HOUSES AND FURNISHINGS. 

With the exception of two large 
gamble-roofed houses, such as are still 
numerous in Old Salem, Massachusetts, 
of which the old Noyes house is an 
example, though modified in front, and 
four single story houses of the same 
general type still standing; all the 
large family houses in town and on 
the farms were of the same general 
pattern. They were of two ctories. 
with a high roof falling back at the 
rear to a single story and th? connect- 
ing kitchen, each one able to accom- 
modate a large family with trundle 
bed accessories for the little folks. 

From a central hall, just large 
enough for a small table and a wind- 
ing stairway to the upper story, there 
were left a parlor on the right of the 
hall, a family bed room on the left, and 
in their rear a large "keeping room" 
for the family, with a small bed room 
at each end for old folks, or young 
children. All the larger rooms vere 
wainscotted and paneled in wood, often 
quite elaborately. Corresponding 

rooms were above; while the attic had 
its depository for tow and flax for do- 
mestic manufacturing, a spinning 
wheel, reel, quilting frames, and a 
loom, if it were not in a piazza or 
shed connected with the wood-house 
at the rear or side of the kitchen. 

A great oven that would bake pies, 
cake or bread by dozens at a time, and 
a fireplace that would take in a back- 
log of four feet and other wood to 
match, were essentials to every house. 
The andirons, shovel and tong.s. the 
bellows and a hinged box for kindlings 
and wood were always in place, and 
on the high mantel over each smaller 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



243 



fireplace, there rested the dip^jed tal- 
low candle, with snuffers, Hint and 
tinder, ready for use. 

A spare chamber for guests had its 
high post mahogany bedstead, with 
valences or curtains of domestic make 
to cover the trundle bed when it was 
hid from sight. For winter's pro- 
tection against extreme cold a "down 
comfort" was supplemented by a long 
handled copper warming pan, to be 
filled with coals and put to a half 
scorching use between the sheets be- 
fore rest was sought at night. 

The invariable well with its old- 
fashioned sweep, was everywhere con- 
spicuous and a three-forked hook was 
near at hand with which to fish for 
the bucket when it broke loose and 
went to the bottom. The well, itself, 
was the family refrigerator, and, when 
no spring house was near, the butter, 
cream and fresh meat, suspended by a 
piece of bed-cord or clothes line, let 
the precious objects of care down to 
the water's surface for their preserva- 
tion and safety. 

"Quilting bees" were common, and 
the domestic manufacture of carpets 
and of lace, as well as embroidery, 
were trophies of domestic skill that 
rivaled in beauty and durability the 
more costly products of foreign loom 
or manufacture. 

Of these domestic manufactures 
too much cannot be said. 

Indeed, both gentlemen and ladies 
were adepts in the preservation and 
renewal of the best styles of colonial 
personal adornment, and on gala 
days or night assemblies, the lace 
caps, collars and cuffs which adorned 
the fair sex, were rivalled in conspic- 
uous smartness and good taste by the 
silver knee and shoe buckles of their 
gallants, of all ages, who were as 
courtly on such occasions as they 
were systematically industrious, fru- 
gal and yet prosperous, in farming 
and manufacture. The high heels of 
the white satin shoes of the ladies 
were as striking as the top boots of 
the gentlemen, and even the night- 
caps imitated in a small measure the 
bountiful lace adornment of such 
dress-caps as were worn at all high 
social entertainments. 

Two specialties of head-covering 
are not to be ignored, because simple 
and useful, and as cunning as they 



were simple and useful. The girls, 
spinsters included, had their peek-a- 
boo "sunbonnets" with long neck- 
protecting capes, and an extension 
frontward, in a little stovepipe gal- 
lery, where they could whisper, re- 
gardless of sex, and not disclose to 
the outsider whether their lips ac- 
tually touched during the confiden- 
tial interview. Another apology for 
a "bonnet" folded backwards like a 
carriage-top, at a quick toss of the 
fingers backward, appropriately called 
the "Calach" and by a handy tape in 
front could be quickly brought for- 
ward to screen the observer, or the 
observed, as it's owner (perhaps I 
should say, it's occupant) wished to 
be recognized, or not. 

None of these adornments, how- 
ever, were more becoming or enjoy- 
able, than the Linsey-Woolsey skirts, 
linen aprons and pretty kerchiefs 
when worn in the kitchen's sphere 
of duty. 

The churn and cheese press were the 
concomitants of every well furnished 
kitchen or pantry, and about the back 
door as well as in the spacious barn- 
yard near by, turkeys, geese, chickens, 
ducks, pea-hens and rabbits enjoyed 
life at the will of their mistress. 

FARMING AND IT.S ACCESSORIES. 

Wallingford farmers generally were 
of a high order of intellectual and so- 
cial merit, as well as loyal to church 
opportunity and influence. 

Their barns were spacious buildings' 
of two stories, with a large entrance 
that would admit hay-loads of more 
than a ton; with storage mows reach- 
ing to the roof; with the lower story 
on one or both sides arranged for 
stock, bins for grain, and cupboards 
for harness, yokes and all manner of 
farming utensils. Water was always 
at hand; stock was cared for with pa- 
tient and unremitting Tabor, largely 
raising their own, though quick to im- 
prove its brood from better. 

Their labor was so well systemat- 
ized that it was no loss of time but 
stimulus to a fresh week of industry, 
to take their families in their com- 
fortable wagons or carriage-? and at- 
tend church regularly on the Sabbath. 
This brought them to the post-office, 
and many social reunions with friends 
in the village. 



244 



CliNTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Horses were not used for heavy 
draught, but oxen only, which were 
kept in prime condition, and competi- 
tive tests for proffered prizes were an- 
ticipated with great pride and am- 
bition as to the result. 

Their relations with each other 
were fraternal and cordial. If a new 
barn or house were to be raised or 
moved, it was not unusual to find 
enough volunteers to put up a large 
frame in one, or at most three days, 
ready for the roof, and, in moving 



machinery of churn and cheese-press, 
as well as of wash-board, were admir- 
ably adjusted for the best results; and 
while the men were marketing their 
farm produce, the butter, eggs, cheese 
and poultry of the mother's care al- 
ways commanded the highest market 
price. 

It was really a day of recreation as 
well as of fatigue when the weekly or 
monthly ride to the New Haven mar- 
ket gave the opportunity not only to 
trade, bu t to visit the capitol of the 




MORSE & NORTON'S BLOCK. 



days, it was not rare to find two 
"strings" of teams of twenty and even 
forty yoke at hand for the purpose. 
The boss was master of his business, 
and the men were so distributed that 
not a roller lost its place. The first 
start was attended by shouts to teams, 
and the swing of the long whips was 
effected with as much precision as that 
of a light battery in motion. 

Thanks to their superior women and 
bright girls of their own blood, all the 
details of kitchen and pantry and the 



state. The turkeys, eggs, chickens, 
guinea-pigs and ducks were ilieir 
special charge, and not unseldom the 
pea-cock proudly strutted about the 
poultry yard, as highly prized as a 
choice new rose would be by the girls 
who cared for the garden. The cider 
mill and the cider cheese press were 
Indispensable adjuncts to every farm 
house. 

W.^LLIXGFORD AS IT WA.S. 

The farm products were generally 
hay, rye, oats, buckwheat, turnips, 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



245 



potatoes, carrots, squash, artichokes, 
corn and pumpkins. 

Soon after the corn was dry in 
the shacks there followed night en- 
tertainments when the young men 
and maidens had their "husking 
bees." By the slim blazing of dipped 
candles, safely placed In a large ap- 
ple or turnip, and to be snuffed with 
the fingers, there began the jolly 
sport of eager watching for the red 
ears. Then amid laughter and no 
little blushing, the standard prize 
or penalty that fell to the possessor 
evolved shouts of applause or deris- 
ion and suspicious guesses as to the 
future lot of both young man and 
maiden who took a prize or suffered 
the penalty. 

Of course every farm whether at- 
tached to the village or elsewhere 
had its apple, pear, and peach or-^ 
chards, as well as its quince and ap- 
ricot, hop vines and asparagus beds. 
Smaller fruits, as well as vegetables 
and flowers, belonged to the "family 
garden" and were especially under 
the mother's care. 

POWER, FACTORIES, INVENTION. 

Wallingford center was so remote 
from the river where Huminston had 
built his successful mill, that nearer 
avenues of waterpower became a mat- 
ter of necessity as well as of economy. 
Just over the hill, eastward on Chris- 
tian street, there was a valley and 
quite a powerlul stream (known as 
George Cook's brook). At its cross- 
ing the road to Durham, a dam was 
built by Leander Parmelee, where he 
erected a small factory. This stream 
continued through the same valley, 
southward, and made a turn west- 
ward just as it reached the extension 
of Center street to the east. At this 
point James Carrington erected a 
heavy dam and built a factory. The 
"escape water" from this dam form- 
ed the Munson brook, which at Cen- 
ter street was joined by the Atwater 
brook, before noticed. 

To substitute mechanical means in 
the place of the old mortar and pestle 
for family use in grinding coffee and 
spices, Mr. Carrington invented and 
for a long time manufactured under 
his patent the first hand coffee and 
spice mill ever fabricated. 

From the waste water from this 
dam, the Pomeroy brothers manufac- 



tured buttons, razor-straps, gimblets 
and other useful articles, and Elihu 
Hall erected a factory for Japanned 
ware, wooden bowls and wagon- 
fittings. 

Mr. Carrington also rented the 
Parmelee factory, before noticed, 
where he manufactured from ma- 
hogany the first parallel "rulers" ev- 
er invented. 

On the North Farms at the orig- 
inal source of the water supply, that 
successively filled the Parmelee and 
Carrington ponds, Mr. William Hill 
also erected a dam and factory for 
manufacturing purposes. Among his 
specialties were boxwood combs, both 
single and folding combs. Harvey S. 
Hall made wagon-poles, whipple-trees, 
etc. The Wallaces, since becoming 
famous in their silver manufacture, 
on the Quinnipiac river, made begin- 
nings with metallic spoons of Germsn 
silver, in 1835. 

Friction matches were also made 
on the North Farms, variously known 
among us either as "brimstone 
matches" or "Lucifer matches." 
Nathan Fenn, a specialist, commend- 
ed his original packages by this 
brilliant effusion. "Nathan Fenn's 
matches are all very good. They are 
made of brimstone, phosporous and 
wood." Tt cannot be questioned that 
more light has been struck through 
this Wallingford invention than from 
any other sources, except those that 
are either solar or through electric- 
ity. 

At the head of the Atwater brook, 
just beyond the old Ives house, north 
of Christian street, the same Par- 
melee built a dam and a factory to be 
rented for various uses. Not long 
after this, Edgar Atwater erected a 
dam and factory two miles below 
the Humminston mill on the Quinni- 
piac river. This mill was at the head 
of tidewater, and a long time ago 
small sloops and schooners were built 
there and floated to Fair Haven for 
complete equipment. Such, at least, 
is matter of tradition, not of individ- 
ual recollection. 

These business ventures gave em- 
ployment to many young men and af- 
forded to Wallingford a valuable ex- 
port trade and laid the foundation 
for other developments, which in the 



246 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



case of the Carrington pond, finally 
resulted In the immense establish- 
ment of silverware of Simpson & 
Company, with a market world-wide 
of its enduring success. The Wallaces 
also after the introduction of steam, 
engaged in the silverware business 
near the river, and the present ex- 
tensive establishments erected on the 
old "Plains" testify to the wisdom 
and sagacity of those who substitut- 
ed manufacture for worn-out farming 
in good old Wallingford. 

WALLINGFORD INDEPENDENT. 

A crowning element of the stabil- 
ity and growth of Wallingford was 
its practical independence of the out- 
side world for its own mechanical 
necessities. The stores of Carrington 
& Kirtland, Jared Lewis, Aimer Hall, 
and Captain Atwater, were first-class 
for the period, and dry goods hard- 
ware, groceries, farm and garden im- 
plements as well as cheap candies, 
cocoanuts and peanuts were always 
kept in good supply. Drugs of all 
kinds, fluid, solid, or dried herbs and 
pills together with ball liquorice and 
stick liquorice and a few candies were 
kept by Dr. Parker. Dr. Friend 
Cook and Dr. Harrison, his successor, 
at their home offices- 

The Atwater store which was dis- 
mantled within my recollection and 
converted into a residence for his son 
John, who succeeded to the practical 
management of his large farm, was 
peculiar in its supplies. It was close 
by the homestead at the corner of 
Christian and Elm streets. A busi- 
ness with the West Indies and with 
Mediterranean ports demanded the 
erection of a large barn near by, 
called the "Potash" and potash, salt- 
peter, charcoal, lime and similar pro- 
ducts were its sole deposits. 

From these the materials for pow- 
der were procured for Washington's 
army while at Newport, and the store 
itself had a large trade with Durham 
and other towns east and northeast 
of Wallingford. 

Three large wagon, cart and car- 
riage shops, that were really factories, 
viz., those of Munson, Beadles and 
Thompson, so thoroughly made, paint- 
ed and finished their products, that 
their owners commanded markets be- 
yond tht town limits. For leather- 



belting, or shoe fittings required by 
its shoemakers or ordinary cobblers, 
there was little need to go even to 
New Haven, except for Morocco and 
some fancy leather. The tannery of 
Medad Munson was on a large scale, 
and also commanded other than home 
patronage. The Ward brothers at 
the northwest corner of Main street 
and Gravel Hill, were not only hatters 
and carpet weavers, but manufactur- 
ers of pewter coffee and teapots, and 
for want of water power, used what 
was called sweep-power. The track 
upon which the horse in his circuit 
developed this power soon went to 
grass, spoiling the fun of rude boys, 
who used birch stimulants when the 
old horse became too lazy. 

The autumn hog and beef kill- 
ing not only supplied the farmers' cel- 
lars with its. beef and hams fresh from 
the smoke house, but a surplus for 
others who did not kill stock of their 
own, so that it was a long time before 
Jeremiah Hall set in motion his 
butchering and meat deliveries that 
finally made a meat market a neces- 
sity in the town. 

Most families kept pigs, which fed 
from troughs of their own, and the 
dipping of tallow canales was as 
common in the homes as the prepara- 
tion of the sausage for the winter s 
use. 

At the spring "shad haul" on the 
Connecticut, a supply was procured 
to be salted for winter's use, and great 
bins of potatoes in everybody's cel- 
lar together with other garden vege- 
tables, carefully cultivated in garden 
patches, were adequate for almost 
town necessities. 

For everything raised beyond the 
town needs, New Haven was a ready 
market, and for a series of years the 
poor house of Wallingford, was peo- 
pled by few who needed its assistance 
or self-support. 

BOOKS .A.ND EDUC.\TI0N.'\L Cl'LTTRE. 

I would, indeed, be wanting in ap- 
preciation of "Wallingford as it 
was" and has been, if I failed to make 
mention of the fact that her close re- 
lation to New Haven, as well as to 
Hartford and Middletown, made for 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



247 



the families of the Congregational, 
Episcopal and Baptist churches wel- 
come resorts for the education of her 
youth, which abundantly supplied the 
place, and made unnecessary the 
academy once started In their midst. 
The preparatory schools for higher 
education at the colleges of the re- 
spective denominations at those 
places, and the Episcopal school at 
Cheshire, were of easy and frequent 
access, and Yale college not only was 
represented at Wallingford for more 
than a century by a member of her 
board of trustees (called fellows), but 
Wallingford young men, even within 
my memory took the valedictory at 
Yale, as well as one at Princeton, 
and several of her sons Decame most 
distinguished lawyers, judges, bank- 
ers and educators west of the Alle- 
ghanies. 

By the side of the fireplace in near- 
ly every homestead was a book cup- 
board. Standard commentaries upon 
the Bible, suited to each church con- 
nection were there. The "Pilgrims' 
Progress" and standard works of all 
kinds with a good English dictionary 
were there. Of clean fiction the 
"Scottish Chiefs" and "Thaddeus of 
Warsaw" were favorites, as well as 
Scott's work when they appeared. 
Robinson Crusoe and the Arabian 
Knights and "Mother Goose" and 
other literature were mere, all of 
which was in good English vernacu- 
lary, fitted to teach the language and 
stimulate thought. And not least of 
all, as an auxiliary was the fact that 
"hired man" or "family help," when 
needed in the kitchen, could read the 
English language an« speak it cor- 
rectly. 

Debating societies were estab- 
lished early, and the oratory of the 
revolutionary period was declaimed, 
from memoi-y, even m the district 
schools throughout the town. 

Great orators were glad to address 
the people of Wallingford. and more 
than one barbecue, where a whole ox 
was roasted on the side hill just west 
of Carrington's pond gave character 
to the town, and vindicated the stand- 
ing of its people before the outside 
world. 



CHURCH SOCI.XLS, MINISTERIAL FAVORS. 

Annually after the farmers had 
gathered their crops, and the fall 
sowing was over, upon a day desig- 
nated, hickory wood and oak, as well 
as chestnut, and ash for lighter fuel, 
were delivered at the minister's barn 
or yard for his winter's supply. 

Brief beef, hams, sausage-meat, 
corned beef, potatoes and other veg- 
etables were soon added. This was 
succeeded a little later oy a donation 
party, when an abundance of choice 
cake was provided, ana tne presenta- 
tion of a purse of money closed the 
evening's entertainment. A minis- 
ter's salary was then $400. 

The fact must not be omitted that 
in those early times the clergy of all 
denominations when met upon the 
street were treated with marked re- 
spect. 

Sewing circles were frequent tak- 
ing turns at family homes (farmers 
included) where sewing, knitting, 
quilting and other needle-work busily 
employed the afternoon, while the 
evening was given to the young peo- 
ple for light games, such as "blind 
man's buff," "puss in the cdrner," 
"who's got the handkerchief?" and 
similar innocent amusements. 

MUSIC AND ITS INCIDENTS. 

Church music was a great specialty. 
The Congregational church uniformly 
had its Saturday evening singing 
school, but under such strict and un- 
welcome condition that however new, 
bright, jubilant, or excellent, the lat- 
est selection upon which the attend- , 
ants were drilled it could never be 
sung by word until perfectly mastered 
by note. The introduction even of a 
"fiddle" from New Haven on one oc- 
casion was regarded as of question- 
able propriety, and James Carring- 
ton, who led the choir, habitually 
used a "wooden pitch-pipe" (some- 
thing like a small trombone) most 
solemnly to lead the choir in a sim- 
ultaneous rendering of the key-note 
before he motioned a full voiced con- 
quest of the hymn at stake. 

The Episcopal music was always 
fine; but not as varied, being mostly 
from the standard music of the 
church. Some times an "Old Folks' 



248 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Concert" would electrify the hearers 
in the production of tunes as old as 
those ancestral hymns that were so 
pre-eminently "Fuge-tunes" and 
swelled as loud in the "chorus of 
one" as "Loud as thunders roar." 

Social music and social musical en- 
tertainments were not unusual, and 
here and there were instruments of 
uncertain age that precursors of the 
piano-forte, which soon became a 
common instrument, in families seek- 
ing musical culture. I remember the 
first guitar and its auspicious advent. 

We boys imitated our elders in the 
use of wind instruments, by use of 
the "harmonican-slide," the tingling 
Jews harp or the vocalized hair comb; 
elder flageolets, broom-corn fiddles, 
triangles and sorted pin-horns, with 
or without finger holes, developed 
mixed numbers in music, revelant in 
tone, scale, and sensation, no mat- 
ter how censurable in matters of har- 
mony. 

ENLARGED SCOPE OF CHURCH WORK. 

The first Sunday school was es- 
tablished 1819 by Mrs. Mary Beebee, 
wife of Rev. David Lewis Beebee, and 
her daughters, Mary and Cornelia. 
There were at that time no "question 
books" and the chief exercise was 
the recital of Scripture passages, from 
memory, with a Bible as a prize for 
excellence. On one occasion when 
great rivalry ensued, John W. An- 
drews, already referred to, won the 
prize by repeating without error the 
119th Psalm, as his voluntary exer- 
cise. The same ladies made a house- 
to-house distribution of the American 
Tract society leaflets when they first 
appeared and for several succeeding 
years thereafter. 

The mother so enlarged her inter- 
est in missions that she afterwards 
made her only grandson an honorary 
life member of the American Board 
cf Foreign Mission societ.v, and her 
only granddaughter a life member of 
the Connecticut Bibhe and the Con- 
necticut Tract society. 

These items have local historic in- 
terest, and it is not irrevelant to 
mention that the present owner of 
the American Board Certificate, 
dated in i8oO, while a schoolboy, at 
Torringford, Conn., occupied a bed- 
-chamber in the house previously 



owned and occupied by Rev. Samuel 
J. Mills, practically the founder of 
said society, and that the Rev. Cor- 
nelius H. Patton, son of the Rev. 
Dr. William Patton, who also was a 
pupil at the same school in 1835-6, is 
now corresponding secretary of the 
same American board at Boston. 

All the religious societies had their 
benevolent associations, although the 
Congregational church was more de- 
monstrative in periodical "revival" 
seasons. I distinctly remember the 
visit of Rev. Mr. Finney, afterwards 
so celebrated in Oberlin, Ohio, as 
founder of "Oberlin" college, whose 
vital theme was "Perfectionism" and 
that Henry Allen, who lived on the 
turnpike, west of the river, was long 
its ardent supporter. 

A Mr. Coan, also large of form, 
large in vocal capacity, and large in 
reforming methods, lived just back 
of Long Hill, but signally failed large- 
ly to control the religious tempera- 
ments of the people. 

Temperance also had its first advo- 
cate, when, as I remember well, En- 
sign Foote, of the navy (afterwards 
Admiral Foote) from Cheshire, ap- 
peared in full uniform and appealed 
to the children to sign pledges which 
he brought with him for their signa- 
ture. For tables to write upon they 
used the seats of the church pews, 
after his address. 

The town also had an amateur 
band with not only brass but reed 
instruments; and its last survivor, 
who as long ago as 1830 played the 
first clarionet, was Elihu Hall. 

GARDENS AND FLOWERS. 

Whether in town or on the farms, 
gardens with their straight walks 
and grape arbors, the walks, often 
lined with box, exhibited every known 
variety of annual flowers. The holly- 
hock and sun-fiower were the most 
majestic and the bergamont and myr- 
tle were the most humble, but the 
sweetpea, the lily of the valley, the 
sweet William, peony, phlox, pansy, 
marigolds, poppies, china asters and 
kindred annuals vied with many varie- 
ties of roses and climbing vines to 
surpass each other and make odor, 
beauty and grace their welcome con- 
tributions to the taste and happiness 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



249 



of the home. The wormwood, for a 
wholesome stomachic before break- 
fast was never missing and the red 
pepper and mustard were cultivated 
for family ailments. The coriander, 
caraway and dill, were hardly inferior 
to the" ever-present "fennel" which 
had its special church privileges and 
duties when a protracted sermon 
called for some quickening tonic. The 
aromatic smellage. as well as the 
horehound, spearmint, peppermint, 
bloodroot and saffron, were garnered 
for winter's service and the aspiring 
hop out-topped the tallest beans on 
their special poles, or climbed against 
the barn with ample capacity to en- 
sure family yeast in abimdance, or 
discount the sassafras in home-made 
beer. 

Tansy cultivated itself and catnip 
was its partner, trying to run out 
everything else, but never despised 
when their medical virtues were test- 
ed in ways beneficial or peculiar. 
The tansy, wormwood and pepper- 
mint were often allied with fluid ex- 
tracts from the apple, peach and mo- 
lasses, all of which required sugar to 
ameliorate the sharpness of the ex- 
tract in use reserved for adults. On 
one morning after Thanksgiving 
children were cautioned that the 
sugar remaining at the bottom of a 
large glass bowl in the "front room'' 
was not for their exclusive use and 
the caution practically enforced. 

Gradually the crocus, tulip, dahlia 
and other bulbous foreigners com- 
manded attention, with the hyacinth 
most delightful of all. 

Sweet corn, beans of varied heights 
and values, lettuce, onions, and the 
carrot, parsnip, turnip, with beets, 
and salsify were kept clear of noxious 
weeds until they attained maturity by 
the boys and girls, and the celery was 
well cared for until it might be trans- 
ferred to an earthy guardian away 
in the cellar for Thanksgiving ser- 
vice. 

Bouquets were abundant and 
swains and maids were never without 
some floral emblem of their affection- 
ate and reciprocal regards. 

GAMES .^XD AMUSEMEXTS. 

These were represented by kites, 
marbles, bow and arrow, slings of va- 



rious kinds, including the "living 
sling" under the name of "crack the 
whip," made many an extreme "ender" 
come to grief; wrestling, running and 
jumping, "quoits," and "hopscotch," 
"leap the frog" and "tag," "hide and 
seek," "spy the wolf," and for indoors, 
"blind man's buff," "whose got the 
handkerchief," "oats, peas, and barley 
grow." "snuff the candle in the dark." 
"charades," "song," and a few dances, 
with others too numerous to mention. 

Elder "pop-guns" charged with wads 
of tow, and goose-quill potato guns 
were common toys-, while hunting fire- 
flies at night and gathering butterflies 
by day for some curiosity collection, 
and flowers and leaves for a herbar- 
ium, were equal sport for boys and 
girls alike. 

"One-old cat." now more aristocratic 
as "baseball," and 'two-old cat" with 
its complement "wicket," and its an- 
cestral football, when hog-killing in 
the autumn furnished the bladders, 
were common, and as prized as their 
imitation of the present day. Snow 
ball matches and snow forts were clim- 
atic necessities. 

Swimming and skating had their 
seasons, as now, and the old Indian 
"dug-out" or canoe, of Indian origin 
was the favorite water craft with 
which at annual visits to Fair Haven 
the oyster was fished for and brought 
home for a glorious roast over griddle 
or brush fire in the great kitchen fire- 
place. 

PICXIC5 AXD EXCURSIOXS. 

Out of door recreation away from 
the homestead had its special places 
and objects for enjoyment. Paug 
pond just beyond Horace Austin's 
house on Whirl-wind hill where we 
took keys for the boats under his 
charge, while his most estimable wife, 
still living, supplied warm rye bread 
and Connecticut loaf cake and dough- 
nuts as well as fresh fruit for their 
sustaining qualities, was the favorite 
resort for pickerel, roach and perch. 
Mrs. Austin tells me that the shortest 
ride from their house to New Haven 
was called "The Edwards Road" and 
still used, named after Governo: 
Pierrepont Edwards, whose residence 
was on "Whiiiwind Hill." 

The Quinnipiac river furnished eels 
for night fishing and pickerel as well 



250 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



as occasional trout to the patient fish- 
er by day, Stony Creek, Branford 
Point, and Guilford were the annual 
resorts of all ages for black fish, crabs, 
as well as the wading process of 
"clamming" most economical as well 
as remunerating of all. All small 
brooks had the speckled trout. Hem- 
lock Grove below Rice Hall's, on the 
left. Mount Tom and Mount Carmel, 
Hanging Rock, and all your intermed- 
iate resorts, Hanover grove included, 
were objectives of excursion ventures. 
Nutting parties gathered the hick- 
ory-nut, hazel-nut, butter-nut and 



servers described their deposits as of 
fabulous depth in some quarters did 
not pass unnoticed even in practical 
Wallingford. 

Lyman Hall started from New Hav- 
en in his ox-cart, returning with some 
barrels of flour for our own and neigh- 
boring families. While slowly as- 
cending the Rice Hall hill from New 
Haven, a vast meteor of the size of the 
"full moon" made his cattle break 
loose, dump his cart, singe his cheek, 
and accompany the barrels down the 
hill toward North Haven and Long 
Island Sound. At least, that is a 




LOOKING UP COLONY STREET. 



chestnuts and the same gay groups of 
boys and girls at the proper season, 
picked wild strawberries, raspberries, 
blackberries, gooseberries, and chick- 
erberries, which were always so much 
sweeter than the garden product at 
home. 

In short all nature was at the ser- 
vice of her children, and they gladly 
accepted and utilized her favors. 

STARTLING EPISODES. 

The meteoric display of "Falling 
Stars" in 1835 when much excited ob- 



slight hyperbole of his own graphic 
description of the heavenly visitor. 

Lucien Pomeroy, the skillful per- 
former on the "Kent Bugle" aroused 
the people, house by house, to see the 
strange phenomena but with approach- 
ing dawn the sun arose as usual and 
the inhabitants survived. 

Then came the "Moon Hoax" in the 
little "New York Transcript" which re- 
vealed to us the minute details of 
"Life in the Moon" for our envy and 
jealousy, as there were no signs of 
sickness or death in the develop- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



251 



ment of their favored existence. 
Then came the "authentic history of 
Deacon Giles' Distillery" which in 
those days of hard cider, and cider 
brandy evolution, was taken by scores 
of innocent deacons as personal to 
themselves. The frightful pictures of 
the fiends of the still; and its "worm" 
at a white heat during their infernal 
dance, seems at this late day to have 
been as truthful and glaring, and no 
more repulsive to the sensibilities 
than certain yellow literature of Anno 
Domini, 1906. 

GREAT DAYS OF THE PERIOD. 

Independence day had its public 
"Reading of the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence" upon the town green, and it 
was read as reverently as if the echoes 
from Lexington and Bunker Hill, as 
well as the devout prayer of John 
Witherspoon in Independence Hall at 
Philadelphia, still vibrated on the ear. 

Following drums and fife, a proces- 
sion marched through the streets es- 
corting carriages filled with gray- 
haired old veterans of the Revolution- 
ary war. Their gracious and happy 
response to the respectful salutations 
of the observers, boys and men alike, 
was both a delight to the eye and a 
well-spring of patriotic refreshment to 
the people at large. 

Chinese fire crackers, pin wheels 
and rockets, torpedoes, fire balloons 
and bonfires were the essential ac- 
companiments of the propitious day 
as a matter of course. 

On one occasion the dropping of 
my punk carelesly into my pocket, 
prematurely started some reserved 
crackers to life and both pocket and 
hand were subjected to remedial 
treatment upon my return home. 

That also was the great day for a 
trial of how far and how high the 
single hand-fire engine could throw 
water. With all these great days 
Yale Bradley, the famous drummer, 
and his brother David, were inti- 
mately associated. In war or peace, 
they were loyal men and few now liv- 
ing in Wallingford can revert to a 
period in their lives when the '^aces 
and names of the two were not fa- 
miliar. 

TRAINING DAY. 

Legal and obligatory assembling 
upon the town green for the "able- 



bodied state militia, armed and 
equipped as the law dii-ects," was 
next in importance and complexity of 
details. The Wallingford Light in- 
fantry, successor to a similar com- 
pany that served under Lafayette in 
the Revolutionary war, was gorgeous- 
ly arrayed in scarlet coats, with 
white trousers, and a tall hat, with 
a still taller feather of white, "top- 
ped with red" and the "Wallingford 
Dragoons, armed with fiint-lock 
horse pistols of immense size, heavy 
sabres and wearing the rich uniform 
of colonial style and fur hat with a 
red cockade, were an equally grand 
feature of the occasion. The "able- 
bodied militia" other than these two 
organizations were armed under an 
unwritten but assumed license of 
"each man arming himself." He al- 
ways "carried arms;" but broom- 
sticks, hoop poles and other wooden 
weapons were his sole means of at- 
tack or defense, and no matter how 
many drums of various sizes and fifes 
of varying screech, might head this 
valiant body, they never lost the 
name of "String-laean milish." 

The Congregational church steps 
always disclosed the varieties of 
lunch used by the boys on such days 
and peanuts, water melons and mo- 
lasses candy suffered to the extent of 
the store supplies of the earlier town. 

A noisy and terrific sham fight 
closed the day and the charge of the 
Dragoons at their final overthrow of 
the "string bean milish" was the oc- 
casion for shouts over the victory 
won that closed the day with glory. 

MENAGERIE DAY. 

"Menagerie day brought its long 
procession of open animal cages with 
the conquering masters of lions and 
tigers, at full peace with their co- 
inmates, and the elephant, rhinocer- 
os and camels were only less conspic- 
uous than the performing monkeys, 
then novelties, as indeed all the wild 
animals were in the land of "steady 
habits." 

The tents were on the public 
green and the erection and taking 
down of the canvas was as great a 
novelty to the boys as at present in 
New Haven or Boston. Sometimes a 
side show of some human mon- 
strosity called for the expenditure of 
a second four-pence-hapenny, 'tut 
such extravagance was usually be- 



252 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



yond the purse capacity when the 
big show was over, and the elephant 
had eaten all the peanuts and crack- 
ers that the boys could buy- 
Other memorial days were Fast 
day, and Thanksgiving day, each or- 
dained by state authority and solemn 
proclamations were made in advance 
of each, and these mammoth in size, 
were read from each town pulpit the 
Sunday in advance as well as on the 
day observed. 

FAST DAY. 

This day was conscientiously ob- 
served with sublime faith in its ob- 
servance as a duty which in earlier 
ages had brought providential mer- 
cies in the averting of calamity or 
bringing the church to a more 
humble sense of daily dependence up- 
on divine favor in all the concerns 
of domestic and national life. Amuse- 
ments were abjured and respect for 
the day and its purpose was honestly 
observed. 

Thanksgiving day, which after the 
English service, when all harvests 
had been gathered in the fall, was a 
day of Thanksgiving in fact, and 
signalized by home gatherings of re- 
lations of all ages that could be con- 
veniently brought together, of social 
reunion, and a dinner of magnificent 
supply. The turkey previously fat- 
tened up to the highest possible 
standard of weight was deposited in 
the open tin oven before the great 
kitchen fire early in the moniing and 
some member of the family was 
deprived of church service, and the 
rendering of a carefully rehearsed 
anthem, lest the turkey should be 
overcooked and the dinner lose its 
best flavor. For a week in advance 
the great oven had been worked to 
its full capacity and a great cup- 
board generally the cheese cupboard, 
was full of pies exacted by this an- 
nual feast. 

A chicken pie cooked and cut for 
form's sake, because no one could eat 
of it and live after the regular din- 
ner, was reserved for the next day. 

The desert was one of the features 
of the Yankee Thanksgiving dinner. 

A large dining plate became the pie- 
plate for each adult guest. Seven- 
eighths of this plate were repositories 
for pie, alternating covered and open- 
top pies. Their order was this: Fresh 



apple pie, custard pie, nilnce pie, 
pumpkin pie, dried apple pie, a cross 
slashed, open tart pie, and then 
eightly a space for rice pudding with 
raisin accompaniments. 

From the great-grandparents down 
to the smallest babe the family 
branches were assembled, and with al- 
monds and raisins, and occasionally 
a punch bowl for the more feeble and 
elderly of the group, tne evening was 
reached. Games, anecdotes and fam- 
ily gossip or experience ended the 
day's entertainment. 

Although Thanksgiving day was 
less strictly observed than the Sab- 
bath, as in earlier New England his- 
tory, the prescribed church attend- 
ants and cessation of the annual man- 
ual labor effected a decided restraint 
upon many amusements; but gradu- 
ally it became permissiDle when skat- 
ing was exceptionally fine or the snow 
very smooth on the country hills, for 
the young people to parrake of those 
exhilarating sports without peril to 
the soul. Very many of the people 
even of the stricter class conceded to 
the young the privilege of a Thanks- 
giving night ball, especially If the 
sleighing was first-class. 

The mid-winter sleigh rides of that 
period will never be revived. I recall 
one upon a cold night wnen a trip 
was to be made to your old tavern on 
the hill yonder. Large wagon beds 
upon four runners, with side seats 
like those of a modern omnibus for 
eight on a side, were first bottomed 
with hay or straw and then with buf- 
falo robes. Hot bricks wrapped with 
fiannel for the feet and small stones 
heated and wrapped for the hands 
were next in order. Tippets, mufflers 
and mittens, all of home manufacture, 
were carefully adjusted by the girls 
with the help of the boys. 

It was a matter of course that upon 
arriving at Meriden a fiddle would 
supply the only suitable music for the 
dance, but for the viae the chimes 
of bells keyed from the highest treble 
down to the profoundest bass stimu- 
lated each of the four horses of every 
team to his most exhiiarted motion. 
Even this could not drown the shouts 
of laughter from the inmates of the 
sleighs, and whether in descending 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



253 



Steep hills or skirting the slope of 
some ugly snow drift the arms of the 
boys were a sufficient protection 
against serious consequences from a 
sudden upset. It is but just to say 
that after the return before morning 
the heroism of rescuing some girls on 
two such occasions was less favor- 
ably noticed when it was learned that 
each upset was a fore-arranged pro- 
gramme between the drivers and some 
wicked young men. 

Suffice it to say that all of the rest 
of the evening's entertainment was of 
first-class order, and that Thanksgiv- 
ing day's provision baked in advance 
was equal to all the demands during 
the succeeding week. 

CHRISTMAS DAY. 

Christmas day was more generally 
confined to Episcopalians, who some- 
times substituted the goose and the 
young pig for the more aristocratic 
turkey and with them, Christmas eve 
was the greatest of the year with 
music and presents. The church dec- 
orations and music on the day itself 
were the objects of admiration for 
the non "church"-going people, who 
as a rule only went to their own 
"meeting house" for religious wor- 
ship. 

The "Santa Claus" feature and the 
"chimney-corner stocking" were too 
attractive for the young folks to admit 
of parental prohibition even by Puri- 
tan stock of their enjoyment of it fun, 
its frolic and the sunrise discoveries 
that followed. 

The first present I ever received on 
the day before Christmas, was on the 
24th of December, 1831, when my 
great Uncle Joshua Atwater, present- 
ed me with a copy of Morse's "Geog- 
raphy Made Easy," which had been 
presented him by his own father, 
Caleb Atwater, in 1786. 

It was my first information from a 
reliable source that Connecticut had 
a population of 220,000, 6,000 of whom 
were Indians and negroes; but that 
"the population was characterized and 
with too much justice, for being in- 
temperately fond of lawsuits, and lit- 
tle petty arbitrations." It gave the 
pleasing information that the ladies 
of Connecticut "are modest, hand- 



some and agreeable, fond of imitat- 
ing new and extravagant fashions, 
easy and unaffected in their manners; 
industrious, neat and cheerful; pos- 
sessed of a large share of delicacy, 
tenderness and sensibility." 

New Haven was described as a 
large, neat, regular and well built 
town of about 500 houses. "It had a 
college edifice, called 'Connecticut 
Hall' in place of the old building 
called Yale college, which from 
whence the university was named had 
been demolished." 

"Hartford, the other capital, 50 
miles from the sea, was said to con- 
tain between 400 and 500 houses, 
while only four miles south of it was 
the agreeable town of Wethersfield, 
of a most luxurious soil, remarkable 
for the production of onions and for 
its fair held twice in a year." 

This geography also taught me 
that "the inhabitants, taken collec- 
tively, were a religious people, and 
that the laws were very strict in re- 
quiring a regular attendance at pub- 
lic worship, but very liberal in tol- 
erating all religions, not inconsistent 
with the peace and good order of 
the state." This was abundantly 
confirmed every Saturday night. 

THE SABBATH. 

Sabbath day was universally honor- 
ed. Civil guardians restrained out-of- 
door disturbances of its quiet, and 
"tithingmen" with their long, slender 
wands, gently touching suspected boys 
or girls, prevented disturbances in the 
sanctuary. 

With the Puritan stock the Sabbath 
commenced with the setting sun of 
Saturday from their recognition of the 
recorded fact that "evening and morn- 
ing made creation's first day." The 
Episcopalians counted the Sabbath as 
from midnight to midnight. A curi- 
ous complexity of social amenities re- 
sulted from this confusion in Sunday 
observance. It was lucky for the 
boys on the "Upper street" that they 
were playing there at the hour of 
sunset, for when they returned to the 
"Lower street" and were solemnly ask- 
ed "didn't you know it was sundown 
and Sunday?" The answer was suffi- 
cient. "I started home as soon as the 
sun went down." 



254 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Social visiting as between neighbors 
on those two evenings had to be very 
considerately adjusted to this consci- 
entious but embarrassing dilemma. 
My Countrymen: 

That observance of Sabbath day the 
first "Memorial day" solemnly ordain- 
ed and set apart in the earliest history 
of the human race for rest, thought 
and thanksgiving, has been the day 
whose respectful observance has been 
the gage of the prosperity and happi- 
ness of all mankind. 

And now, in closing, for we meet 
for the last time, I do not wonder so 
few survive who directly represent 
those in my mental vista with whom I 
w^ould like to shake hands with to-day. 
In the perspective glass of memory I 
see faces, but of those already mention- 
ed and others, more than forty in num- 
ber, none would respond if called for. 
And when I reverse the glass, they 
glide away, generation after genera- 
tion, to a vanishing point beyond the 
bounds of life's extremist recognition. 

FACES RECALLED. 

Allen, Andrews, Atwater, Austin, 
Barker, Bartholomew-, Beach, Beadles, 
Beaumont, Bleakslee, Bradley, Can- 
non, Carrington, Coan, Cook, Culver, 
Curtis, Doolittle, Elton, Foote, 
Hall, Hiddleston, Hill, Hough, Hum- 
miston, Ives, Jones, Johnson, Kirtland, 
Mix, Monroe, Morse, Munson, Noyes, 
Northrop, Parker, Parmelee, Peck, 
Preston, Street, Thompson, Wallace, 
Ward, Webber, Whittlesey, Yale, and 
others. 

Of real faces, representing this 
group of families and surviving from 
the long ago, I have met Elizur Hall, 
Douglas Munson, Henry Martin, two 
daughters of Mrs. Beadles, one daugh- 
ter of Deacon Russell Hall, a daugh- 
ter of Mr. Elijah Beaumont, as well- 
as others elsewhere noticed, and in 
your Mr. Doolittle, I found so close 



a resemblance to my old Yale friend, 
the Rev. Edgar Doolittle, that, invol- 
untarily I called his name. But the 
last survivor of the Whittlesey family 
is not here, nor the genial bachelor, 
Joseph Noyes, the last to survive of 
the large family of Rev. James Noyes 
who, from very early childhood was 
as quick as Horace Austin to wel- 
come me home. 

Of others who address you, I am 
reminded that Julius Pratt was the 
ophecleide performer of the once 
famous "Beethoven Club" at Yale, 
and at the Christmas eve rendering 
of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" in 
the college chapel, his execution was 
one of the most pronounced in effect. 

If you ask me to sum up my esti- 
mate of "What Wallingford was seven- 
ty-five years ago," and from a purely 
judicial review of the evidence pro- 
nounce judgment, it may be summed 
up in one single charge, to you, grand- 
children and great grand-children of 
our beautiful and ever honored town. 

THIS IS MY PARTING WORD. 

Imitate and perpetuate, as you ven- 
erate, that loyalty to home, God, and 
country, which made your ancestors 
industrious, honest, self-reliant and 
honored! 

Emulate their intense devotion to 
the examples and precepts of their own 
immediate fore-fathers; and with no 
less zeal and intensity of purpose, emu- 
late the careful, intellectual, moral and 
industrial training of the sons and 
daughters who were to follow them, 
and from whom your immediate prede- 
cessors took their parting blessing 
when they came hither! 

If, hereafter, you reproduce, like 
citizenship and like fruitage, Meriden 
will outdo her present fame and pres- 
tige already so honorable to the state 
and nation, and more than ever contri- 
bute to the glory of America, and 
through America, to all mankind. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



255 



THE COLONIAL BALL 



The colonial ball, the crowning so- 
cial feature of the great Centennial cel- 
ebration, was a glittering success far 
exceeding the expectations of the most 
optimistic member of the Centennial di- 
rectors. The most satisfactory feature 
of the ball was the fact that it was real- 
ly a colonial affair, as to decorations 
and dress. The appearance of the Put- 
nam Phalanx in their continental uni- 
forms, the reception committee in court 
costume and .the ladies of the minuet 
in the rich gowns that the real colonial 
■dames wore, gave the function an eight- 
eenth century stamp that was unmis- 
takable. 

The new Town hall where the ball 
was held was decorated in an elaborate 
manner and in most becoming taste 
for an event of this kind. The prevail- 
ing colors were yellow, blue and white, 
the true colonial combination and the 
blending was in perfect harmony. A 
canopy of yellow and white completely 
hid the ceiling. The walls of the au- 
ditorium were covered with shirred 
white and blue and the balcony front 
was treated in the same manner by the 
decorators, Simons & Fox, of Hartford. 
Many were the compliments heard re- 
garding the decorations and the admir- 
able taste shown in the entire matter 
■of preparing the hall for the grand affair. 

The gowns of the ladies were con- 
ceded to be the most elaborate ever 
worn upon any occasion in this section, 
all being made with the colonial ball 
in mind. 

The music was of the best. In ad- 
dition to a picked orchestra of twenty- 
five men, the most capable players in 
town, Bayne's Sixty-ninth regiment 
band of New York, was present and 
furnished entrancing music for the 
dance and the imposing march that pre- 
ceded it. The orchestra was stationed 
in the east gallery and the band occu- 
pied a position in the opposite balcony 
and all through the night the strains 
of music heard, were not alone a delight 
to those in the hall, but a pleasure to 



hundreds who gathered about the build- 
ing until a late hour. 

Early in the evening both band and 
orchestra gave concert music of a high 
order and then alternated in rendering 
the music for the long programme of 
dances that had been arranged. 

After 10:30 a buffet luncheon was 
served in the old Universallst church, 
which was connected by a canopy with 
the hall. The luncheon was in keep- 
ing with all the other departments of 
the ball and was served in Maynard's 
best style. 

GRAND MARCH. 

The grand march was led by the 
Putnam Phalan, Major Mahl at the 
head, with Miss Agnes Curtis, daughter 
of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Curtis. 
Mr. Curtis, chairman of the Centennial 
committee, came next with Mrs. Mahl. 
Then came the reception committee in 
their court dress and following .them 
were 100 couples in evening attire. The 
march was directed by W Emerson 
Rogers and was an inspiring sight, es- 
pecially from the galleries. 

THE MINUET. 

The minuet, the dance of colonial 
days, was given by sixteen members 
of the Phalanx and their ladies, and 
it was a feature of the ball that willl 
ever be remembered by those who saw 
it. It was perfectly given and awarded 
with rounds of hearty and well de- 
served applause. 

Those who took part in the minuet 
and the dresses of the ladies are given 
herewith : 

Mr. and Mrs. B. Z. Brewer; light 
green striped satin, duchess lace, with 
diamonds. 

Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Riley, brocaded 
satin, hand embroidered, Vincennes 
stripes, lace and pearls. 

J. P. Allen, with Mrs. George Prut- 
ting; mauve brocade, gold trimmings 

L. W. Muller with Miss Lillian Mul- 
ler: pink satin with white lace trim- 
ming. 



-'56 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 





FRARAY HALE, 
Secretary Wallingford Committee. 



W. F. LANE, 
Member Wallingford Committee. 




U. H. D. FUWLER, 
Member Wallinofford Committee. 



THEODORE F. LANE, 
Member Wallingford Committee. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



257 



THE GOWNS. 

The gowns worn by the ladies were: 

Miss Agnes Curtis — Colonial gown 
of embroidered batiste over Pompa- 
dour silk. 

Miss Elsie Lyon — Pale blue peau de 
soie, real lace. 

Mrs. J. H. Hinsdale — Blue crepe de 
chine. 

Mrs. C- E. Stockder — Figured net 
over pink. 

Mrs. C. F. Linslev— Black silk. 

Mrs. Love, Montclair, N. J.— Black 
chiffon cloth. 

Mrs. John A. Slater— White dotted 
mulle. 

Mrs. C B. Merriam— Black silk and 
jet. . 

Miss Bishop — White mulle. 

Mrs. C F. Monroe— Black lace. 

Misses Grace and Gertrude Lane — • 
Pink eolian silk. 

Mrs. Geo. R. Curtis — Black silk and 
lace. 

Mrs. John S. Lane — Gray eolian and 
rose point lace. 

Mrs. J. H. Pallett— Grav silk. 

Mrs. J. F. McDonnell— White silk 
batiste, embroidered- 
Mrs. F. J. O'Neil — Pompadour silk 
and lace. 

Mrs. Minnie Smith, New Haven — 
White mulle. 

Mrs. Benjamin W. Collins — Cream 
Sicilian. 

Mrs. W. B. Warner, New Haven — 
Black lace. 

Mrs. J. F. Dickey, Hol.voke— Blank 
lace. 

Mrs. H. W. Kibbe— White silk and 
lace. 

Mrs. John R. Judd, Kent, Conn. — 
White silk, real lace. 

Miss Bessie Allerton, Passaic, N. J. 
— White mulle. 

Mrs. Sarah Parsons, Washington, D. 
C. — White mulle and lace. 

Miss Alice Parsons — White silk. 

Miss Anna Rice — White lace and 
mulle. 

Miss Marion Smith — Pink pina cloth. 

Mrs. Frank E. Sands — White lace. 

Mrs. A. D. Meeks— Pink figured 
mulle. 

Mrs. Scott Benjamin. Hartford — 
Blue silk and lace. 

Mrs. L B. Miller— White chiffon, red 
carnations. 

Mrs. N. L. Bradley — Heliotrope ra- 
dium silk and lace, diamonds. 

Miss Peck — Pink taffeta and lace. 

17 



Airs. E. E. Smith — Grey crepe de 
chine. 

Miss Isabel Smith— White embroid- 
ered mulle. 

Dr. Helen West — Black peau de soie. 

Mrs. Marion West— Black chiffon 
cloth. 

Mrs. Wm. B. Treadway — Figured 
silk. 

Mrs. H. A, Stevens— Electric bli'C 
silk. 

Mrs. Herman Hess — Black lace. 

Mrs. H. T. King— White embroid- 
ered mulle. 

Miss Ethel Mix— White net. 

Miss Lelia Ives, New Haven— White 
net. 

Mrs. Arthur Glaessner — Black chif- 
fon cloth with lace. 

Mrs. Horace C. Wilcox— Black lace 
over white silk, diamonds. 

Mrs. J. A. Talmadge, Westneld— 
Black lace over white silk. 

Mrs. George N. Morse — Cream nr-t. 

Mrs. J. D. Eggleston— Black sp.'^n- 
gled net, real lace. 

Mrs. C. E. Schunack — White mulle. 

Mrs. Wm. F. Rockwell— Black crepe 
de chine, diamonds. 

Mrs. Charles F. Rockwell— White 
chiffon cloth, rose point. 

Mrs. R. F. Amend, New York- 
Light blue messaline and Irish crochet 
lace. 

Miss Florence Marsden — Light blue 
crepe de chine and lace. 

Mrs. G. N. Moser, Brooklyn— White 
dotted Swiss. German valenciennes 
trimmings. 

Miss Beacham, Shenandoah, Pa — 
Grey silk. 

Mrs. A. B. Squire— White embroid- 
ered spangled robe over white silk. 

Mrs. Henry Warren — White Leah 
lace with point applique, diamonds. 

Miss Warren— White Pompadour 
lace, diamonds. 

Mrs. John Piatt Allen, New York, 
Pa. — White satin. Duchesse lace. 

Miss Ross. Brooklyn — Brocaded taf- 
feta, trimmed with silver lace, dia- 
monds. 

Mrs. J. H. White— Gray eolian 
Duchesse lace, diamonds. 

Miss Nan Carter — Pale blue crepe de 
chine and lace. 

Miss Sophie Smith, Bridgeport — 
White mulle. 

Miss Julia Smith, Bridgeport — 
White mulle. 

Mrs. Gilbert Rogers — White net and 
diamonds. 



^58 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 





R. G. CHURCH, 
Colonial Pill Crmmitt' 



I. B. MILLER, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 





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HOWARD R. CURTIS, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



JOHN F. M'DONNELL, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



259 



Mrs. Cephas B. Rogers — White sat- 
in, Irish point apphque. 

Mrs. M. R. Wright— Blue figured 
silk and lace. 

Miss Sarah C. Rogers, Danbury — 
White net with applique. 

Miss Marie Hoffman Rogers, Dan- 
burv — Pink chiffon. 




GEORGE H. YEAMANS, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



Mrs. Leslie Tredennick, Brooklyn- 
Figured organdie. 

Mrs. Chas. T. Dodd— White net and 
lace, diamonds. 

Mrs. E. T. Bradstreet — Figured 
crepe, turquoises. 

Mrs. F. L. Murdock— Blue rajah silk. 

Mrs. Truman Barnes, Shelton — 
White net over pink. 

Mrs. Horace C. Moses, New York — 
White lace and diamonds. 

Mrs. Edward Tredennick — Black 
chiffon. 

Mrs. Harry C Lane — Black lace. 

Mrs. Oliver Yale, Brooklyn — Black 
chiffon. 

Mrs. Cephas B. Rogers, 2d, Danbury 
— Electric blue silk, lace and diamonds. 



Miss Kate Nickerson — White muUe, 
cherry-colored ribbons. 

Miss Edwina Parmelee, Wallingford 
— Pink flowered crepe. 

Miss Helen Mix — White muUe. 

Miss Bradstreet — Flowered crepe. 

Miss Marjorie Piatt — Accordion 
pleated radium silk and lace. 

Mrs. J. P. Piatt— White chiffon cloth 
and coral. 

Miss Waterman, Hudson, N. Y. — 
White organdie and lace. 

Mrs. A. Chamberlain — White crepe 
de chene, diamonds. 

Mrs. Charles L. Rockwell — White 
lace. 

Miss C. S. Phelps— White silk. 

Mrs. I. B. Beach — "VMiite embroidered 
mulle. 




HOWARD STEVENSON, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



Miss Dorothy Doolittle — Pompadour 
organdie and Valenciennes. 

Mrs. Frederick L. Huntington — 
White mulle. 

Mrs. Eugene A. Hall — Black silk. 

Mrs. W. H. Potter, Guilford— White 
mulle. 



26o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 





J. H. ROBERGE, 

Colonial Ball Committee. 



C. W. CAHILL, JR.. 
Colonial Ball Committee. 




GEORGE OHL. 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



ARTHUR D. MEEKS. 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



261 



Mrs. Charles H. Tredennick — Figured 
organdie. 

Miss Clara Savage — White mulle. 
Miss Cahill — Pink figured organdie 
with lace. 

Miss Grobell, Wallingford— White 
silk and lace. 

Miss Tracy — White lace. 
Miss Polsey — Yellow silk mulle, 
chiffon and lace. 

Miss Stone, Boston — White organdie 
and lace. 

Mrs. Henry Butler — White embroid- 
•ered net over pink. 

Miss Talmadge, Westfield — White 
embroidered mulle. 

Miss Kate Lewis, Stratford — White 
point d'esprit. 

Miss Burr, Bridgeport — White lawn 
and lace. 

Miss Warner, Springfield — Black silk 
and lace. 

Mrs. F. L. Hamilton — Black dotted 
net. 

Mrs. J. H. Parish — Black crepe de 
chene. 

Mrs. C. M. Williams — Black silk. 
Mrs. B. C. Kennard — Black lace over 
pink. 

Mrs. William McKenzie, Princeton, 
N. J. — Figured organdie and lace. 

Mrs. E. A. Wilson — Black net, steel 
trimmings. 

Mrs. W. A. Kelsey — White lace robe 
over white silk. 

Mrs. F. C. Edgerton— White silk and 
lace. 

Mrs. George W. Falrchild— White 
veiling, blue trimmings. 

Mrs. W. F. Ramsey, Cromwell — 
Black net and velvet. 

Mrs. H. C. Bell, Portland— Black 
crepe de chine, jet trimmings. 

Mrs. Frederick de Peyster, Portland 
— Black lace over brocaded silk and 
jet. 

Mrs. Arthur M. Brooks — Pink dotted 
net. 

Mrs. Charles S. Perkins — White silk 
mulle. 

Miss Mabel Coe — Pale blue brocaded 
silk, lace trimmings. 

Mrs. E. B. Moss — Blue eolian, white 
lace. 

Mrs. Williams — Black net. 
Mrs. W. B. F. Landers, Jr. — White 
messaline, rose point. 

Mrs. Wells McMasters, Sound Beach 
— Pink net over pink silk. 



Mrs. J. A. Cooke — White crepe de 
chene. 

Miss Shailer, New Britain — White 
lace, imported gown. 

Miss Harmon — Point d'esprit over 
white silk. 

Mrs. P. A. Wuterich— Pale blue 
silk. 

Mrs. Walter H. Bradley — Heliotrope 
chiffon and velvet embroidered in 
spangles, diamonds. 

Miss Young, Hartford — Black and 
white. 

Mrs. John Ives — Black lace and rose 
point. 

Miss Gladys Keeney — White Vene- 
tian lace. 

Mrs. John Henderson, Hartford — 
Flowered point d'esprit over pink silk. 
Mrs. Russell A. Frisbie, Cromwell — 
White silk and black lace. 

Mrs. H. C. Bell, Portland— Black 
crepe de chene and jet. 

Miss Evelyn Du Plessis — White mulle. 
Mrs. C. H. Cheeney — White lace. 
Mrs. E. D. Hall— Whi.te organidie 
and Cluny lace. 

Miss Lena Wilcox — White silk. 
Miss Marie Burnett, Springfield- 
Figured blue organdie. 

Miss Alice Burnett, Springfield — 
Pink organdie. 

Miss Bannister — White mulle. 
Mrs. Irving Smith — White Persian 
lawn, Valenciennes. 

Mrs. Walter E. Coe — Black spangled 
net over white silk. 

Mrs. C. E. Flynn — White lace, dia- 
monds. 

Miss Alice Hughes, New York — 
White lace. 

Miss Anna Curran — White net and 
applique over white taffeta. 

Miss Landrigan — White chiffon 
Panama, Cluny lace. 

Miss Mollie Reilly— White silk 
mulle, val lace. 

Mrs. H. C. Bibeau — Steel gray, 
banzai silk princess, Irish crochet lace. 
Mrs. Louis Fisk — White chiffon 
cloth and lace, diamonds. 

Miss Booth, New Britain— White 
dotted lace. 

Mrs. Howard B. Angel — White or- 
gandie. 

Miss Louise Morse — White mulle 
and lace. 

Mrs. Eli Butler — Pink organdie and 
thread lace. 

Mrs. Harry H. Smith— White organ- 
die and lace. 



262 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




J. H. HINSDALE, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



W. C. HIRSCHFELD, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



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C. W. CLOCK, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



F. H. BILLARD, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



263 



Mrs. W. L. Squire — Black lace. 

Mrs. p. H. Keller — Black crepe de 
chine and lace. 

Mrs. W. W. Finnegan — Pale grey 
crepe de chene. 

Miss Ives, New Haven — White 
mulle. 

Mrs. W. I. Wilcox — Black spangled 
net. 

Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Fox; white bro- 
cade satin, hand embroidered in Per- 
sian, trimmed with oriental lace; dia- 
monds. 

Mr. and Mrs- E. D. Rowley; pale 
blue overdress, yellow petticoat, 
pearls. 




C. E. STOCKDER, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 



Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Bigelow ; old 
rose satin brocaded with old lace trim- 
mings. 

Mr. and Mrs. Emil Schierholz; cream 
colored satin, pearl front, duchess and 
point lace. 

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Mahl ; laven- 
der and green, pearl trimmings. 

George Prutting, with Mrs. Henry 
Bickford ; white brocaded satin, point 
lace, pearls. 

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Smith; old rose 
striped gown with duchess lace. 



Dr. J. E. Root with Miss Lillian 
Georgia; gown of green figured with 
ivy leaf. 

Mr. and Mrs. N. K. Morgan; yellow 
brocade, Irish point lace, diamonds. 

Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Dwyer, pink 
brocade. 

Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Wakefield; pom- 
padour silk. 

J. W. Titcomb with Miss Clara 
Georgia ; yellow brocade. 

Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Johnston, bro- 
caded blue silk, white satin petticoat* 
duchess lace. 

OCCUPANTS OF BOXES. 

Boxes had been arranged about the 
hall and all were taken and the occu- 
pants arranged for. The first two 
rows in the gallery were given over to 
holders of floor tickets, but the remain- 
der of the gallery was open to the 
public. 

Those who occupied the various boxes 
were as follows : 

Box I— Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Collins, 
Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Dickie, Holvoke, Mr. 
and Mrs. H. W. Kibbe, Mrs. Wilbur B. 
Warner, Miss Minnie H. Smith, New 
Haven. 

Box 2 — Louis E. Wilcox, Dr. and 
Mrs. E. D. Hall, Mr. and Mrs. W. Irv- 
ing Smith, Miss Alice Burnett, Miss 
Marie Burnett, Miss Clara E. Wilcox, 
Miss Laura Bannister, George Ohl. 

Box 3 — Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Flynn, 
Captain J. J. Landrigan, Miss Lizzie 
Landrigan, William Lynch, New York, 
Miss Alice Hough, New York, Mr. and 
Mrs. John Pallett. Miss Annie Curran, 
Mr. Bridgett, Wallingford. 

Box 4— Mayor Thos. L. Reilly, Miss 
Reilly, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Bibeau, Mr. 
and Mrs. J. F. McDonnell, Mr. and 
Mrs. F. J. O'Neil, T. P. Dunne, Miss 
Margaret McKeogh, Hartford. 

Box 5. — Mr. and Mrs. George M. Cur- 
tis, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Squire, Mr. 
and Mrs. C. La Rue Munson, Mrs. 
George R. Curtis, Miss Agnes Curtis. 

Box 6 — Mr. and Mrs Amend. Mr. and 
Mrs. Unkles. Mr. Schmidt, Miss Mars- 
ton, Mrs. Moser, Mr. Beacham and lady. 

Box 7 — Mr. and Mrs. Henry Warren, 
Miss Warren, Miss Ross, Miss Allen, 
John Allen, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. White. 

Box 8 — ^Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Lane, 
Misses Gertrude and Grace Lane, Mr. 
and Mrs. Harry C. Lane, Mr. and Mrs. 
Oliver Yale. 



264 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Box 9— Mrs. E. H. White, Allen 
White and lady, J. D. Norton and ladv, 
R. W. Carter, Miss Nan Carter, E. J. 
Doolittle. 

Box 10 — Mr. and Mrs. Cephas B. 
Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Rogers, 
Ralph Rogers, Harold G. Rogers, Mr. 
and Mrs. Cephas B. Rogers, 2nd, Dan- 
bury, Miss Sarah C. Rogers, Danbury, 
Miss Marie H. Rogers, Danburv. 

Box II— Mr. and Mrs. R. H." Keller, 
Mrs. Howard Angell, Miss Louise 
Morse, Lawrence Blackman, Miss 
Mabel Wright, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. 
Finnegan. 

Box 13— Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Fuller, 
Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Smith, Mr. and 
Mrs. E .Tredennick, Mr. and Mrs. Hor- 




W. E. HINSDALE, 
Colonial Ball Committee. 

ace C. Moses, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Tre- 
dennick. 

Box 14— F. H. Billard and lady, W. 
E. Hinsdale and lady, H. L Stevenson, 
Miss Ives, New Haven, Mr. and Mrs. 
C. M. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. J. Davis. 

Box 15 — Mr. and Mrs. Louis Fisk, 
Mrs. J. A. Talmadge, Miss Talmadge, 
Robert G. Church, Mrs. Ellen Wilcox, 
George Cahill and lady, Harold Sei- 
densticker and lady. 

Box 16 — Mr. and Mrs. George N. 
Morse, Dr. and Mrs. J. D. Eggleston, 
Mr. and Mrs. H. T. King. Mr. and Mrs. 
C. E. Schunack, John B Morse and lady. 

Box 17 — C. W. Cahill, jr.. Miss Dora 
Tracy, W. J. Cahill, Miss Cahill, Dr. 
.and Mrs. J. A. Cooke, D. F. McCarthy, 
.Robert R. Reillv, Miss Grobell. 



Box 18— Mr. and Mrs. C F. Rock- 
well, Mrs. W. F. Rockwell, Mr. and 
Mrs. H. A. Stevens, Dr. Helen West, 
Mrs. Marion B. West, Dr. Treadway, 
Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hess. 

Box 19— Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Hall, 
Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Huntington, Miss 
Huntington, Mr. and Mrs. Wells Mc- 
Master, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Tredennick, 
Master Hess, Miss Lewis. 

Box 20 — Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Smith, 
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Kelsey, Miss Julia 
Hull, Mr. and Mrs. F. C. Edgerton, Mr. 
and Mrs. T. H. Warnock, Miss Isabel 
Smith. 

Box 21— Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Stock- 
der, Mr. and Mrs. I. E. Beach, Mr. and 
Mrs. C. F. Linsley, E. J. Doolittle, Miss 
Doolittle. Mr. and Mrs. J .H. Hinsdale. 

Box 22— D. L. Bishop and ladv, Mr. 
and Mrs. E. B. Moss, Mr. and Mrs. L. 
A. Miller, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Phelps, 
Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Jennings. 

Box 23 — Mr. and Mrs. A. Chamber- 
lain, A. R. Chamberlain, Miss Water- 
man, Mr. and Mrs. F. C. White, Mr. 
and Mrs. James P. Piatt. 

Box 24— Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Bradley, 

C. P. Bradley, Miss Lucy Peck, Mr. and 
Mrs. C. L. Rockwell, Rev. J. J. Wool- 
lev, Walter Hubbard 

Box 25— Mr. and Mrs. A. D .Meeks, 
Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Sands, Mr. and 
Mrs. I. B. Miller, Mr and Mrs C. F. 
Monroe, Dr. and Mrs. F. L. Murdock. 

Box 26— Dr. and Mrs. W. E. F. Lan- 
ders, jr., Walter S. Billard and lady, 
Robert J. Merriam and lady, N. C. 
Johnson and lady, Mr. and Mrs. Eli 
Butler. 

Box 27 — Dr. and Mrs. E. T. Brad- 
street. Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Dodd, How- 
ard R. Curtis, Miss Kate Nickerson, 

D. H. Havens, Miss Edwina Parmelee, 
Wallingford. 

Box 28— Mr. and Mrs. John W. Coe, 
Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Lawton. 

Box 29— Dr. E. W. Smith, Mr. and 
Mrs. John R. Judd, Kent, Conn., Miss 
Alice Parsons, Washington, D. C, 
Charles E. Parsons, Washington, D. C, 
Miss Allerton, Passaic, N. J., Miss 
Eaton, New York, Miss Marion Smith, 
David Smith, Addison Bidwell, Spring- 
field. Mass. 

SUB COMMITTEES. 

Following is a list of the sub-com- 
mittees in charge of the various de- 
tails for the Colonial ball: 



\ 

CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



265 



Ways and Means — Fred H. Billard. 
chairman ; C. E. Stockder, H. L. Stev- 
erson, C. H. Yeamans, I. B. Miller, J. H. 
Hinsdale, J. F. McDonnell, Waldemar 
Hirschfeld, A. D. Meeks, C. W. Clock. 
C. W. Cahill, jr. 

Publicity and promotion — J. F. Mc- 
Donnell, chairman ; W. E. Hinsdale, I. 

B. Miller, Howard R. Curtis. 
Reception — J. H. Hinsdale, chairman; 

C. E. Stockder, R. G. Church, George 
Ohl. 

Decorations — Waldemar Hirschfeld, 
chairman; G. H. Yeamans, J. A. Ro- 
berge, J. H. Hinsdale. 

Supper — A. D. Meeks, chairman ; W. 

E. Hinsdale, J. F. McDonnell, George 
Ohl. 

Music and dancing — H. L. Steven- 
son, chairman; C. W. Cahill, jr., How- 
ard R. Curtis, R. G. Church. 

Costumes — C. W. Clock, chairman ; 

F. H. Billard, A. D. Meeks, H. L. Stev- 
enson. 

DANCE PROGRAMME. 

The dance programme was most at- 
tractive and reflected great credit upon 
the judgment of the committee. On the 
front cover were the words, "1806-1906" 
and the seal of the town of Meriden. 

The programme of dances was as 
follows : 

Grand march — Serenade Procession. 



California Reel — Selected. 

Two Step — Our President. 

Waltz— Wedding of the Winds. 

Two Step — Old Heidelberg. 

Waltz— Artists' Life. 

Two Step — College Widow. 

Lanciers — The Smart Set. 

Two Step — One of the Boys. 

Waltz — Dreams of Childhood. 

Two Step — Rogers Brothers in Ire- 
land. 

Waltz — Leonore. 

Two Step — I'd Like to Be a Gunner 
in the Navy. 

Waltz — A Madcap Princess. 

Two Step — Starlight. 

Waltz — Thine. Ever Thine. 

Two Step — Flying Arrow. 

Lanciers — Gaiety. 

Two Step— The Kilties. 

Waltz — A Night in June. 

Two Step — Can't You See I'm Lone- 
ly? 

Waltz — It Happened in Nordland. 
Two Step — Silver Heels. 

Waltz — Babes in Toyland. 

Two Step — Moon Dear. 

Lanciers — Fair Dame. 

Two Step — Lady Teazle. 

Waltz — Golden Sunset. 

Two Step— Miss Dolly Dollars. 

Waltz — Memories of the Past. 

Virginia Reel — The Irish Washer- 



PARADE OF PUTNAM PHALANX 



As this was what might be called 
the Colonial day of the Centennial week 
it was appropriate that the famous Put- 
nam Phalan, of Hartford, the only mil- 
itary organization in the country that 
wears the old colonial uniform should 
have been the principal and to an extent 
the most prominent guests of the town. 
The public somehow or other appeared 
to share in that feeling. From the time 
the Centennial celebration opened there 
was nothing but hurrah and cheer and 
jollity. Thursday was the day of days 
for noise. It was in every sense of the 
word a military day and the people let 
themselves loose in the matter of cheers 
and noise of all kinds. 



But to-day was more like it should 
be. a Colonial day. The spirit of their 
ancestors appeared to permeate the peo- 
ple no matter what their standing in 
the business life. 

The Putnam Phalan, whose history 
dates back far beyond the ken of man 
of the present generation, arrived at 
I :20 o'clock in the afternoon from New 
Haven where they had rested after a 
strenuous day in Greenwich where they 
had assisted in the dedication of the 
Putnam House in that village. There 
was not more than the usual crowd at 
the depot when the train rolled in, and 
they were only merely curious. After 
thev had entrained the Phalan lost lit- 



266 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



tie time. Sergeant Thayer, who had 
charge of the police squad, consulted 
with Major Mahl, in command of tb.e 
Phalanx, and after he had looked over 
some of the veterans of many wars, de- 
cided to cut the line of march. 



noble Duke of York and soldiers. Like 
the duke's men they stuck to the task 
set before them and witiiout a grum- 
ble went up the hill and down again. 
It is the old spirit of the Phalanx, to 
do or die. 




ROGERS BUILDING, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



Headed by their own drum corps that 
plays only colonial tunes, the Phalanx 
bravely started up the hill to the mon- 
ument at the Town hall. Some of the 
men in the ranks when they saw what 
was before them sang the song of th.e 



The Phalanx had what in truth might 
well be called a hearty greeting. Many 
a head was bared as the command 
trudged along and especially was that 
true when the colors passed. The spirit 
of the day was everywhere. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



267 



There were some might}' men in that 
famous company. Some of them tipped 
the scales at 260 pounds and weightier 
than that in the world of finance and 
in the law. Among them were seen an 
ex-judge, an ex-mayor, several banker?, 
dry goods merchants and two authors. 

The company made a handsome sight 
as it marched up and down the East 
Main street hill. The uniforms jnd ac- 
coutrements are the same as worn by 
their forefathers hundreds of years ago. 
Their heads were stopped by three-cor- 
nered hats with black and red plumes 
in the front. The coat of old fashion- 
ed colonial style and faced with buff, 
or as it is now called, colonial yelbw. 
The waistcoats were of buff with large 
buttons of a style that went out of fash- 
ion a hundred years ago. Knee 
breeches of black velvet were worn over 
buff topped boots. The guns they car- 
ried would make some men not in 
the ranks faint with fatigue before half 
the march had been covered. These 
old fashioned fiint lock muskets 
weighed only eleven and one -half 
pounds each and when a man of seventy 
carries one of them around for a mile 
or so it is a pull on the vital' ty. But 



not a man protested and every man was 
in his place in the ranks when th<; pa- 
rade was dismissed in front of .'he 
Winthrop hotel after the review by 
Mayor Reilly and the centennial com- 
mittee. 

One incident of the parade that was 
overlooked by a large number of the 
spectators was the color guard. On 
each side of the colors marched a man 
with gun cocked. The man on the left 
had the muzzle resting on the left arm 
and the man on the right let the muz- 
zle of his gun rest secure on the right 
arm. The hammers were up readv at 
any time to repel the enemy. This 
custom has been followed ever since 
the Phalan was organized. It has also 
been stated, and not contradicted, that 
the guns of the color guard are loaded 
and primed, ready for whatever might 
happen. 

The Phalanx were given a short 
march and were dismissed at the 
Winthrop hotel in time to meet the la- 
dies of their families and escort them 
to their rooms in the hotel where they 
rested until time for the minuet at the 
Colonial ball at the Auditorium held 
in the evening. 



HISTORY OF PUTNAM PHALANX. 



The Putnam Phalanx of Hartford, 
the Amoskeag veterans of Man- 
chester, N. H., and the Worcester 
Continentals of Worcester, Mass., are 
the only three military organizations 
in New England which preserve in- 
tact the uniform and drill of the j:^ev- 
olutionary army under vv^ashington. 

Of these three commands the Put- 
nam Phalanx is the most widely 
known throughout the country, its 
extended pilgrimages north, south 
and west and in Canada having en- 
sured it permanent distinction as a 
military body. It has visited or 
passed through at least ttiirty of the 
forty-five states of the Union. At 
the Centennial celebration of the 
battle of Bennington, Vt., the com- 
mand acted as escort for President 
Hayes and members of his cabinet, 
and on returning from the Nashville 
centennial in October, 1897, it was 
given a special reception at the 
White House by President McKinley. 



It was originally organized August 
25, 1858, with the object in view of 
receiving Governor Thomas H. Sey- 
mour on his return from the Russian 
capital, where he held the place of 
United States minister. Governor 
Seymour, who had served with great 
gallantry in the Mexican war, was 
the idol of Hartford, and the public 
disposition was to give him the most 
brilliant of receptions on his return 
from Europe. At a preliminary 
meeting held in the Seymour Artil- 
lery armory in Hartford, August 20, 
1858, it was voted that the corps 
should be called the Putnam Phalanx 
in honor of General Israel Putnam, 
the Revolutionary hero from Con- 
necticut. 

Horace Goodwin was elected ma- 
jor. The original captains were 
Allyn S. Stillman and Alexander M. 
Gordon. The first judge advocate 
was the noted orator, Isaac W. Stuart 
of Hartford The roll of the battalion 



268 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




EDWARD MAHL, 
Major Putnam Phalanx. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



269 



comprised the names of 150 of the 
most prominent and influential citi- 
zens of Hartford. 

FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE. 

The Phalanx made its first public 
appearance as a military organization 
December 22, 1858, when a street 




CAPT. H. B. PHILBRICK. 
Chief of Staff Putnam Pralanx. 

parade was given. No uniforms had 
been selected at that time and the 
members appeared in uniforms loaned 
by the Amoskeag veteran.?. Major 
Goodwin commanded and N. Sey- 
mour "Webb acted as adjutant. At 
the conclusion of the parade, which 
had been one of picturesque interest, 
owing to the continental uniforms 
and maneuvers, the Phalanx received 
from the descendants of General Put- 
nam an appropriate standard, bear- 
ing a likeness of the hero and the in- 
scription: "He dared to lead where 
any dared to follow." 

The second appearance of the bat- 
talion took place June 2, 1859. The 
members had secured their own uni- 
forms and paraded in them for the 



first time on that date. The Legisla- 
ture was in session in the old State 
house on Main street, now the City 
hall, on the day of the parade and 
witnessed the column in line. The 
effect of the new uniforms and the 
battalion maneuvers was so pleasing 
that a resolution was adopted by the 
General Assembly highly compli- 
menting the officers and men. Judge 
Hiram Willey of Hartford is the only 
member of the Senate of that year 
now living. Julius Catlin, the lieu- 
tenant governor and Colonel Henry 
C. Deming, members of the House 
from Hartford, were members of the 
battalion at the time- 

The Meriden member of the House 
was William W. Lyman. Augu.-itus 
Brandegee, father of United States 




S. B. BOSWORTH, 
Staff Putnam Phalanx. 

Senator Brandegee, was in the House 
from New London and Jeremiah 
Halsey and James A. Hovey from 
Norwich. Oliver H. Perry of Fair- 
field, father of Judge John H. Perry, 
was the speaker. This Legislative 
recognition was highly valued by the 
Phalanx. 



270 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



GOV. SEYMOURS RECEPTION. 

The reception of Governor Thomas 
U Seymour tov which Iho IMiai&nx 
was organized at the oiitser. took 
place August 30, 185S. In this event 
the battalion won laurels of perpet- 
ual worth. The tributa laid by the 
command at the feet of the Mexican 




WM. J. M'CONVILLE, 
Asst. Paymaster Putnam Phalanx. 

warrior, governor of the state and 
minister from the Uniied Stares to 
Russia, was one which Governor 
Seymour regarded with the highest 
appreciation through the rest of his 
life. 

FIRST GREAT PILGRIMAGE. 

The first great pilgrimage of the 
Phalanx included a visit at Bunker 
Hill, where Judge Advocate Stuart, in 
a speech concerning the battle, June 
17, 1776, astonished Vne men of Mas- 
sachusetts by his knowledge of the 
details of the engagement. He knew 
every inch of the grouna at Bunker 
Hill and the services rendered there 
by General Putnam. The Phalanx left 
Hartford on this pilgrimage on Tues- 
day, October 4, 1859, under command 



of Major Goodwin. Joseph D. Wil- 
liams, who was Governor Bucking- 
ham's war adjutant general, was ad- 
jutant of the battalion, but was not 
able to take part in the pilgrimage. 
His place was filled for the time be- 
ing by General Lloyd B. Baldwin. 
Henry C. Deming, wno was colonel 
of the Twelfth Connecticut in the 
Civil war, resigning his office as 
mayor of Hartford to accept the 
command of that regiment, was on 
Major Goodwin's staff. The Rev. 
Asher Moore, war chaplain, Allyn S. 
Stillman and Timothy M. Allyn, both 
afterwards mayors of Hartford, were 
officers in the First company of the 
battalion. 0. D. Seymour, who was 
for years sheriff of Hartford county, 




REV. ROCKWELL H. POTTER, 
Chaplain Putnam Phalanx. 

was the first lieutenant of the Second 
company. Colonel Colt was a mem- 
ber of the Color Guard. In the ranks 
were scores of business and profess- 
ional men of Hartford, including lieu- 
tenant Governor Catlin, Leverett 
Brainard and James LocKwood, of the 
publishing house of Case, Lockwood 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



271 



& Brainard Daniel Phillips, John M. 
Gross, Henry Kennedy, Nelson C. 
Hinckley, Oliver Parish, Stiles D. 
Sperry, E. D. Tiffany, E. N. Kellogg 
and Gurdon Robins. 

The only men of the rank and file 
taking part in the Bunker Hill pll- 




JUDGE A. C. BILL, 

Lieut. Putnam Phalanx. 



grimage, who are still living, are H. 
B. Beach, Hiram Bissell, Wm. F. J. 
Boardman, Pliny Jewell, ex-Mayor 
John G. Root, president of the Farm- 
ers and Mechanics' National bank, 
ex-Director and Governor George G. 
Sill and Wm. F. Whittlesey. With 
the exception of ex-Mayor Root each 
one of the survivors is in the neigh- 
borhood of eighty years of age. 

The honorary members of the bat- 
talion at the time of the Bunker Hill 
visit included the Hom. a. E. Burr, 
George Brinley, ex-Congressman 
Ezra Clark, father of Charles Hopkins 
Clark, George H. Clark, the poet, 
James M. Goodwin, Solomon Porter, 
Wm. James Hamersley, father of 
Judge Hamersley of the Supreme 



court, Henry Keney ana C. H. North- 
am. Only one of the iist of honorary 
members in 1858 remains. Colonel 
David A. Rood, of Hartford, who is 
considerably past eighty. The Pha- 
lanx received ovations in Boston and 
Cambridge. At the residence of Ed- 
ward Everett on Summer street in 
Boston the battalion was addressed 
by that distinguished orator, and the 
response was made by Connecticut's 
foremost orator, Isaac W. Stuart. The 
scene was a proud one in the history 
of the Phalanx. 

At Bunker Hill speecnes of mem- 
orable interest and value were made 
by Judge Advocate Stuart and Henry 
C. Deming. who ranked next to Stuart 




HENRY F. SMITH, 
Capt. and Adjt. Putnam Phalanx. 

in the art of oratory. While in Bos- 
ton the Phalanx was brilliantly en- 
tertained at the home of one of its 
members, Oliver Ellsworth, of Somer- 
set street. The pilgrimage was ex- 
tended into Rhode Island, where the 
splendid reception that had been giv- 
en in Massachusetts was duplicated. 



272 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



VISIT TO MT. VERXON. 

The second pilgrimage made by the 
Phalanx embraced a visit at Mount 
Vernon, where the tomb of Washing- 
ton is a mecca for the American peo- 
ple. The visit took place during the 
first week in December, 1860, a few 
months before the Civil war was in- 
augurated. The event lacked the in- 
terest and spirit that attended the 
Bunker Hill demonstration, the politi- 
cal disturbances of the time being an 
embarrassment. On the return from 



Goodwin occurred May 14, 1864. The 
funeral of Major Goodwin was attend- 
ed by the Phalanx in a body. The 
loss of both of these notable members 
of 'he command was Keenly felt. Al- 
lyn S. Stillman was elected Major 
Goodwin's successor, and held the 
office with honor and distinction. 

INAUGURAL PARADES. 

In May, 1862, the battalion took part 
in the inaugural parade at New Haven 
in honor of Governor Buckingham. 
This was the first appearance of the 




PALACE BLOCK, SHOWING DECORATIONS. 



Mount Vernon and Washington the 
battalion was received in Baltimore 
by the Baltimore City Guard. There 
was no premonition then of the scenes 
of bloodshed that were so fast making 
headway. The Baltimore men left 
nothing undone that could make the 
visit a military success. 

During the Civil war period there 
were not many events signalizing the 
history of the battalion. 

Judge Advocate Stuart died October 
5, 1861, and the death of Major Horace 



Phalanx in an "election day" occur- 
rence. The next time it was at New 
Haven on "election day" was May 4, 
1870, when the Hon. James E. Eng- 
lish, of that city, was inaugurated. 

The statue of General Putnam on 
Bushnell park in Hartford was un- 
veiled June 17, 1874. The Phalanx 
took an active part in the ceremonies 
under Major Henry Kennedy. The 
centennial of the battle of Benning- 
ton, Vt., was celebrated August 18, 
1877, the Phalanx being prominent in 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



VZ 



the military pageant, that attended 
the ceremonies. It was at this time 
that the Phalanx furnished an escort 
for President Hayes. Two years be- 
fore this the battalion had been a 
participant in the centennial celebra- 
tion of the battle of Concord, Mass., 
the event taking place April 18, j.875. 




O. H. BLANCH ARD, 
Past Major Putnam Phalanx. 

The Nathan Hale monument in 
South Coventry was visited by the 
battalion, June 17, 1879. The oration 
commemorating the life and heroism 
of Captain Hale was delivered by Gen- 
eral Charles M. Joslyn, judge advo- 
cate at that time, and was a masterly 
analysis. Its eloquence is remem- 
bered by the Phalanx to this day. 

In 1888, June 17, the equestrian 
statue of General Putnam was dedi- 
cated in Brooklyn, the Phalanx par- 
ticipating in the dedication under 
Mayor Joseph warner. The idea of 
erecting a suitable memorial at the 
tomb of General Putnam was formu- 
lated, June 17, 1860, while the Pha- 
lanx was having its field day in 



Brooklyn. A committee of the bat- 
talion was appointed to take the pro- 
ject in charge. The members of this 
committee included Thomas H. Sey* 
mour, Isaac W. Stuart, Henry C. 
Deming, T. M. Allyn, E. N. Kellogg 
and Oliver Ellsworth. But the Civil 
war coming on, there was a general 
suspension of interest in the monu- 
ment. The dedication of the statue, 
which was provided for by legislative 
appropriation and the generosity of 
citizens of Brooklyn, was an event of 
great importance in the Phalanx his- 
tory. 

VISITED PHILADELPHIA, 1876. 

The battalion visited the Centennial 
fair in Philadelphia in 1876 and was 
in Atlanta, Ga., the last of the fall 





DR. HENRY BICKFORD, 
Past Major Putnam Phalanx. 

months in 1895. It visited the Nash- 
ville Centennial in October, 1897. On 
the way back, October 16, it was in 
Washington, D. C, and was received 
in the White House by President Mc- 
Kinley. Every member of the battal- 
ion was personally introduced to the 



2/4 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



President. One of the interesting 
events which the Phalanx has partici- 
pated in in New Hampshire, was the 
dedication of a city pari?; in Manches- 
ter in honor of John Stark. This oc- 
curred June 17, 1893. There has been 
from the beginning a genuine friend- 
ship between the Amoskeag veterans 
of Manchester and the Phalanx. The 
two commands with the Worcester 
Continentals have not infrequently 
met on common grounds for annual 
festivities. 

VISIT TO MERIDEN IN 1865. 

The first visit made by the Phalanx 
in Meriden occurred July 4, 1865, un- 
der Major T. M. Allyn. It came to 
this city for the purpose of uniting in 
a public Fourth of July celebration. 
That was forty-one years ago. The 
development of Meriden in that pe- 
riod would be astounding in the eyes 
of the Phalanx visitors of that July 
day in 1865 could they but return this 
June afternoon of 1906. The second 
visit of the battalion here was on the 
occasion of a target shoot, October 16, 
1885. A reception was given the mem- 
bers by United States Senator O. H. 
Piatt, followed by a dinner at the 
Winthrop. Twice since 1897 the bat- 
talion has had its annual target shoot 
in this city. 

OCCUPIED THREE ARMORIES. 

The battalion has had three armor- 
ies since its organization. The first 
one was in the Union hall building, oc- 
cupying the site of the present Con- 
necticut Mutual Life building. It 
was occupied for the first time Febru- 
ary 21, 1860. The second armory was 
in the Hammersley building on Main 
street, where the battalion remained 
for many years. The present armory 
at the corner of Pearl and Haynes 
streets was built expressly for the 
Phalanx, and is handsomely equipped. 
The annual meetings of the battalion, 
which take place February 22, Wash- 
ington's birthday, are occasions of un- 
paralleled interest in military centers 
in Hartford. 

SEVENTEEN COMMANDERS. 

The Phalanx has had seventeen 
commanders since it was organized in 
1858. These have been majors: Hor- 
ace Goodwin, Allyn S. Stillman, James 
B. Shnltas, T. M. Allyn, Charles C. 
Burt, Seth E. Marsh, Henry Kennedy, 



H. J. Welch, Freeman M. Brown, Al- 
vin Squires, Clayton H. Case, Joseph 
Warner, O. H. Blanchard, Henry 
Bickford, M. D., J. N. Shedd, Charles 
B. Andrus, and Edward Mahl, the 
present incumbent of the office. 

There are five past majors living at 
the present time. They are Clayton 
H. Case, O. H. Blanchard, Henry Bick- 
ford, J. N. Shedd and Charles B. 
Andrus. Major Case was first elected 
February 4, 1885. He was in the 
Tenth Connecticut through the Civil 
war and afterwards served in the reg- 
ular army on the Plains in Indian war- 
fare. He is a member of Robert O. 
Tyler post, G. A. R., and of the Army 
and Navy club of Connecticut. He 
was on the staff of Governor L. A. 
Cooke of whom he was the brother-in- 
law. This gave him the rank of col- 
onel. He has been engaged in the 
jewelry business in Hartford upwards 
of thirty years and is at the head of 
one of the largest jewelry houses in 
the state. Colonel Case is a member 
of Washington commandery. Knights 
Templar of Hartford. 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 

Past Major O. H. Blanchard was 
elected February 1, 1889. He has 
been a resident of Hartford since 1856 
and is one of the old time business 
men of the city. The coffee and spice 
trade has commanded his attention 
most of his life. He is a Knight Tern 
plar and a man of superior citizen- 
ship. 

Past Major Henry Bickford was in 
the Civil war and is a member of 
Robert O. Tyler post. He has been 
president of the Connecticut Eclectic 
Medical association and is a member 
of the examining committee of the 
association, appointed under the gen- 
eral statutes. He was first elected' 
major February 22, 1896 and held the 
office until February 22, 1898, when he 
was succeeded by J. N. Shedd. Past 
Major Shedd is engaged in the truck- 
ing business and is at the head of the 
firm of Shedd & Coaksley. He was 
major for two years and was succeed- 
ed February 22, 1900, by Charles B. 
Andrus, who held the office until last 
February. 

Past Major Andrus is one of the 
largest building contractors in Hart- 
ford and a man of ample means. Dur- 
ing his administration the member- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



275 



ship of the battalion was materially in- 
creased and its scope of activities 
enlarged. Major Andrus has taken 
an active interest in city affairs and 
has been a member of the Board of 
Fire commissioners. He is a mem- 
ber of Washington commandery, 
Knights Templar and of Sphinx tem- 




J. N. SHEDD, 
Past Major Putnam Phalanx. 

pie, order of the Mystic Shrine. He 
made one of the most popular com- 
mandants that the Phalanx has had. 
His staff selections were of a high 
order, and the esprit-de-corps of the 
command was unsurpassed by that 
dominating National Guard circles in 
the city. Major Mahl, the new com- 
mandant, has taken the command in 
a high state of discipline and military 
attainment. He has retained practi- 
cally all of the staff officers, who were 
appointed by his predecessor. This 
is the first time that the battalion 
has appeared under Major Mahl and 
the visit here has been anticipated 
for weeks by the command. 

At the present time there are 166 
active members in the organization; 
30 veterans, 19 associate and 18 hon- 



orary members. The veteran corps 
includes Dr. P. D. Peltier, who was 
surgeon of the battalion a number of 
years, ex-Fire Commissioner Henry 
Kohn, Wm. F. J. Boardman, Ariel 
Mitchelson, jr., of Tariffville, ex-Mayor 
Miles B. Preston, Colonel Herman A. 
Tyler, R. P. Kenyon and George H. 
Woolley. 

HONORARY MEMBERS. 

The honorary members of the Pha- 
lanx are: 

S. M. Bronson, Hartford; Hon. M. G. 
Bulkeley, Hartford ; Major J. F. Burke, 
Atlanta, Ga.; Hon. W. L. Calhoun, 
Atlanta, Ga.; Samuel L. Clemens, 
New York; Hon. Abiram Chamberlain, 
Meriden; Rev. J. F. Gleason, Norfolk; 
Hon. A. R. Goodrich, Vernon Depot, 
Hartford; Norman L. Hope, Hartford; 




CHARLES B. ANDRUS, 
Past Major Putnam Phalan.x. 

Hon. John F. Jones, Blacksburg, S. C. ; 
Samuel A. Moore, New Britain; Theo- 
dore I. Pease, Springfield, Mass.; 
Hon. John G. Root, Hartford; Hon. A. 
J. Sloper, New Britain; H. T. Sperry, 
Hartford; Hon. Nicholas Staub, New 
Milford; Hon. George G. Sumner, 



2^6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Hartford, and Rev. J. K. Wheeler, 
Camden, N. J. 

This list includes the names of 
Former Gov. Abiram Chamberlain, of 
Meriden; United States Senator Mor- 
gan G. Bulkeley, and Lieutenant Gov- 
ernor George G. Sumner, men of de- 
served prominence in public and busi- 
ness life; Mayor William F. Henney, 
of Hartford, Governor Henry Roberts, 
Lieutenant Governor Rollin S. Wood- 
ruff, United States Attorney Francis 
H. Parker, W. 0. Burr, and Rufus H. 
Jackson, of the Hartford Times, 
Charles E. Billings, president of the 



Barrett, Thomas, Hartford. 
Bassett, Samuel, New Britain. 
Bell, K. \.. Portland. 
Bell, H. C, Portland. 
Benjamin, Scott R., Hartford. 
Bement, Kdward N., Hartford. 
Bickford, Dr. Henry, Hartford. 
Birmingham, Joseph M., Hartford. 
Bigelow, E. C, Hartford. 
Bill, Judge Albert C, Hartford. 
Bosworth, Stanley B., Hartford. 
Bowers, William H., Hartford. 
Brandegee, W. S., Berlin. 
Budde, A. W., Hartford. 
Brewer, B. Z., Hartford. 




OFFICE BUILDING, H. WALES LINES CO. 



Billings & Spencer company, and Isaac 
A. Allen, jr., are among the associate 
members. 

LIST OF ACTIVE MEMBERS. 

The list of actives is as follows: 
Adams, Dr. Henry E., Hartford. 
Alexander, Samuel, Hartford. 
Allen, James P., Hartford. 
Allen, George H., Hartford. 
Allen, F. N., Hartford. 
Allen, John W., New Britain. 
Allen, Norman F., Hartford. 
Andrus, Charles B., Hartford. 
Bailey, William, jr., Hartford. 



Balf, Edward, Hartford. 
Brott, George O., Hartford. 
Brunner, Dr. C. W., Brooklyn, N. Y. 
Callinan, D. J., East Hartford. 
Caulkins, W. E., Hartford. 
Clarke, Sidney E., Hartford. 
Clark, Roscoe N., Hartford. 
Coburn, Lemuel J., New Britain. 
Conrad, Philip, Hartford. 
Copeland, J. C, Hartford. 
Corbin, Frank H., New Britain. 
Coulter, W. 0., Saybrook. 
Crane, Charles E., Hartford. 
Crandall, S. Ashbell, Norwich. 
Crawley, William H., Hartford. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



277 



Crilly, John A., Hartford. 
Davison, Dr. Luther A., Hartford. 
Decker, J. A., Hartford. 
Dewey, William A., New Britain. 
Dexter, J. Allen, Norwich. 
Dunn, Daniel P., Willimantic. 
Dwyer, William S., Hartford. 
Eddy, Horace W., New Britain. 
Ensign, F. H., Silver Lane. 




CLAYTON H. CASE, 
Past Major Putnam Phalanx. 

Filley, W. H., Windsor. 
Forbes, Walter, East Hartford. 
H. P. Fox, Hartford. 
Fox, H. W., Hartford. 
Furrey, Ervin L., Hartford. 
Gates, William E., Glastonbury. 
Goodfellow, William H., Hartford. 
Gowen, Joseph H., Hartford. 
Griswold, Dr. R. M., Hartford. 
Hale, Wallace L., Glastonbury. 
Hall, Benjamin, Norwich. 
Hamill, James, Glastonbury. 
Hammitt, E. Baldwin, Hartford. 
Hansling, Philip, jr., Hartford. 
Harbison, Alexander, Hartford. 
Heins, Frank W., Hartford. 
Henderson. Joseph H., Norwich. 
Hodgdon, George R., Hartford. 
House, Isaac C, Glastonbury. 



Howe, Louis W., South Glastonbury. 
Huntsinger, E. M., Hartford. 
Hurlbut, E. G., New Britain. 
James, William E., East Hartford. 
Johnson, Charles L., Hartford. 
Johnson, Frederick G., Hartford. 
Johnson, Frank H., New Britain. 
Kenyon, E. A., Hartford. 
Keyes, Charles H., Hartford. 
King, Henry T., Meriden. 
Kinne, Henry A., South Glastonbury. 
Landon, Frank H., Hartford. 
I^ane, Rollin D., Hartford. 
Latham, C. H., Hartford. 
Lewis, Ira F., Jewett City. 
Lincoln, James C, Berlin. 
Lindberg, Otto W., Norwich. 
Loveland, C. S., Glastonbury. 
Lucas, Elmer E., Hartford. 
Lyon, Felix, Hartford. 
Mahl, Edward, Hartford. 
Malcom, Thomas, Hartford. 




JOHN W. TITCOMB, 
Asst. Commissary Putnam Phalanx. 

Maslen, Stephen. Hartford. 
Merrill, A. H., Hartford. 
Miller, David H., Georgetown. 
Morgan, Nathaniel K., Hartford. 
Morrison, F. B., Thompsonville. 
Muller, Louis J.. New Britain. 
McConville, William J.. Hartford. 



278 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Mclntyre, Archibald, Hartford. 
McMillan, D., New Britain. 
Naylor, Dr. J. H., Hartford. 
Newton, J. L., South Windsor. 
Oldershaw, A. H., New Britain. 
Oldershaw, F. n.. New Britain. 
Peck, Rial S., Hartford. 
Penfield, Loren D., New Britain. 
Philbrick, H. B., Hartford. 
Phillips, John W., Hartford. 
Pinches, John, New Britain. 
Pitt, John R., Middletown. 
Porter, E. J., New Britain. 
Porteus, Robert, Hartford. 
Preston, C. H., Norwich. 
Preston, E. M., Rockville. 
Priitting, George, jr., Hartford. 
Reid, James W., Hartford. 
Rice, Willard A., Hartford. 
Richards, F. H., Hartford. 
Riley, Stanley, J., Hartford. 
Rockwell, Albert F., Bristol. 
Rodgers, F. W., Hartford. 
Rogers, Noah, jr., Norwich. 
Rogers, Frederick, Hartford. 
Rollins, R. F., Hartford. 
Root, Dr. J. E., Hartford. 
Ropkins, E. I., Hartford. 
Rowley, Edward W., Hartford. 
Scailes, George W., Hartford. 
Schmidt, Emil, Hartford. 
Schierholz, Emil, Hartford. 
Seide, David, Hartford. 
Semple, James W., Norwich. 
Shea, John D., Hartford. 
Shedd, J. N., Hartford. 
Sherman, R. W., Hartford. 
Simmons, W. G., Hartford. 
Simpson, E. L., Kensington. 
Smith, Charles M., East Hartford. 
Smith, Henry F., Hartford. 
Smith, Thomas C, New Britain. 
Steele, Howard M., New Britain. 
Street. Joseph. Hartford. 
Stuart, William, Hartford. 
Sullivan, J. O., Willimantic. 
Svenson, Charles, Hartford. 
Talcott. Clinton, 0.. Glastonbury. 
Taussig, Charles, Hartford. 
Taylor, Peter, Hartford. 
Thompson, E. U., New Britain. 
Thompson, A. L., New Britain. 
Titcomb, J. W., Hartford. 
Towers, Joseph, New Britain. 
Traut, George W., New Britain. 
Tryon, Louis C, South Glastonbury. 
Vogelgesang. P. R., New Britain. 
Wakefield. Walter L., Hartford. 
Waldo, Harold B., Glastonbury. 
Walsh, John, New Britain. 
Warner, Arthur D., Woodbury. 



Warner, Fred W., Hartford. 
Washburn, A. L., Hartford. 
Katers, Dr. John B., Hartford. 
Watson, Alexander, Hartford. 
Weir, Leverett A., East Glastonbury. 
Weldon, Dr. T. H., So. Manchester. 
Wilson, Arthur M., Hartford. 
Woodworth, Frank H., Norwich. 
Yates, Erton P., Hartford. 
Young, E. S., Hartford. 

BRILLIANT ORATORS. 

The judge advocates of the Phalanx 
staff have been men of oratorical bril- 
liancy from the outset. Ex-Governor 
George P. McLean was judge advocate 
under Major C. H. Case and was a flit- 
ting successor in the line from Isaac 
W. Stewart. As judge advocate he 
possessed the same charm of expres- 
sion and eloquence that have signal- 
ized his public addresses in recent 
years. General Charles M. Joslyn pre- 
ceded Governor McLean in the office of 
judge advocate and was an elegant 
master of the art of public speaking. 
There is a wealth of oratory in the 
Phalanx. 

One of the brilliant speakers in the 
organization, perhaps the most bril- 
liant, is the chaplain, the Rev. Rock- 
well Harmon Potter, pastor of the 
Center church, which was founded by 
Thomas Hooker, holds the position of 
chaplain on the staff. He is without 
doubt the most gifted pulpit orator in 
the state, preaching always without 
notes and holding his audiences spell- 
bound from the beginning to the end 
of his sermon. He was born in 
Glenville, Schenectady county, N. Y., 
in 1874 and was hardly past twenty- 
six years of age, when he was settled 
as pastor of the Center church, Octob- 
er 3, 1900. He graduated from Union 
college in 1895 and became pastor of 
the Dutch Reformed church in Flush- 
ing,, L. I., in 1898. He was born and 
grew up on a farm and has brought to 
his work the strength and vigor of 
country life. Chaplain Potter is an 
ideal speaker in his pulpit and out. 
The Honorary corps of the Battalion 
has on its roll a name that has long 
been recognized as an exponent of 
Connecticut oratory. 

Ex-Lieutenant Governor George G. 
Sumner is one of the most attractive 
and graceful public speakers in the 
state. He has the charm and felicity 
of utterance that made Governor 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



279 



Thomas H. Seymour the idol of public 
assemblies. It is unnecessary to 
trace their lives longer. The home of 
eloquence for well nigh half a century 
has been in the Putnam Phalanx. 

Judge William J. McConville, assist- 
ant paymaster on the staff was elected 
judge of the Police court in Hartford 




A. Al. WILSON, ■ 
Quartermaster Putnam Phalanx. 

in 1889, while he was clerk of the state 
Senate. He was city attorney six years 
and has been in public service through 
a long period. He is one of the oldest 
members of the Governor's Foot Guard 
and belongs to Washington command- 
ery. Knights Templar. He is also a 
member of the Center church of which 
Chaplain Potter is the pastor. 

Lieutenant Albert C. Bill, engineer 
on the staff, is of the law firm of Bill 
& Tuttle. He has been judge of the 
Popile court and is a prominent mem- 
ber of the bar. Judge Bill has served 
in the Governor's Foot Guard and on 
the staff of the First regiment. C. N. 
G. He is a staff officer of high at- 
tainments. 

Commissary Stanley B. Bosworth is 
one of the foremost members of the 



Masonic order in Hartford and is at 
the head of Sphinx Temple, Order of 
the Mystic Shrine. He has served in 
both branches of the city government 
and is an active business manager. 
The assistant engineer, Stephen Mas- 
len, has been on the staff for a number 
of years, being originally appointed by 
Major Andrus. He is at the head of 
the Stephen Maslen Monument works, 
the largest in Hartford. Lieutenant 
Maslen is a Knights Templar and a 
man of recognized ability in the busi- 
ness life of Hartford. He has held an 
interesting place in musical circles, be- 
ing a singer of superior merit. 

Paymaster Alexander Harbison has 
been the mayor of Hartford, and is one 
of the best off-hand speakers in the 
battalion. Edward Balf, the success- 






LIEUT. STEPHEN MASLEM, 
Putnam Phalanx Staff. 

ful contractor for state and city en- 
terprises, is the standard bearer on the 
non-commissioned staff and H. P. Fox 
of the firm of Simons & Fox, is the 
sergeant major. He is a veteran of 
the Civil war and a past commander 
of Robert O. Tyler post. The wife of 
Sergeant Major Fox has the official 



28o 



CKNTENNIAL OF MKRIDEN". 



decorations for the Centennial in 
charge. 

There are three civic officers in the 
Battalion. The clerkship is held by 
E. W. Rowley, president and treasurer 
Of the Calhoun Printing company, Wil- 
liam S. Dwyer, of the First National 
bank is the treasurer and, Sidney E. 
Clarke is the historian. James P. Al- 
len, who has been in both boards of 
the Court of Common Council, is the 
captain of the First company, and E. 
B. Bigelow, of the Second. The rank 
and file of the battalion stand for good 




CHARLES H. KEYES, 
Judge Advocate Putnam Phalanx. 

citizenship and high civic standards. 
From the beginning bt its career it has 
been an honor to belong to the Pha- 
lanx. 

The General Assembly has given the 
Putnam Phalanx an official military 
character by the adoption of enact- 
ments concerning its interests. One 
statute requires the governor's approv- 
al of the election of major. March 16, 
1897, a resolution was passed by the 
General Assembly giving the Battalion 
the right to carry state arms. It has 
a full complement of breech loading. 



flint lock muskets that were owned by 
the United States government one 
hundred years ago. These ancient 
breech loaders are taken out only on 
set occasions. The old Springfield is 
the common arm of the battalion. 

MAJOR MAHL. 

Major Mahl has been an influential 
business man in Hartford foi twenty- 
five years and is actively identified 
with Knight Templars and political 
interests in the city. He is a past 
eminent commander of Washington 
commandery and has been a member 
of both boards of the Court of Com- 
mon Council. He has also l;een a 
member of the Police comrnission m 
Hartford. Major Mahl was bor^i in 
Norwich, Christmas day, ISSo. Since 
185 9 he has lived in Hartford, meet- 
ing with success in every enterprise 
that has commanded his attention. He 
has been a member of the First com- 
pany, Governor's Foot Guard, a dis- 
tinction that is possessed by several 
members of his staff, including Judge 
William J. McConville and Judge Al- 
bert C. Bill. Major Mahl is a mem- 
ber of the South Baptist church in 
Hartford, wheve he is held in the 
highest personal regard. 

HENRY F. SMITH. 

The adjutant of the battalion, 
Henry F. Smith, is the town and city 
clerk of Hartford and one of the 
town's most popular citi::ens. At the 
last city election he shovv^ed notable 
elements of strength, receiving nearly 
the whole German voto in the city. 
Pie is of German descent and has 
complete mastery of his language. 
As a public official Adjutant Smith is 
a model of courtesy and uprightness. 
Flo has been in office so long that the 
Iifxlls of Record in Hartford would 
seem strange withouc him. He has 
been on the Phalanx stai'f some ten 
yi.'ars in al. He was the first reap- 
pointment made by Major Manl 
after his election in February. 

H. B. PHILBRICK. 

The chief of staff, H. 3. Philbrick, 
is, like the major, a past eminent 
commander of Washington com- 
mandery and has won rauch distinct- 
ion in Connecticut Knight Templnr- 
ism. He wa.", a member of the Fifty- 
yecond Massachusetts infantry during 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



281 



the Civil war and belongs to Robert 
O. Tyler post of the Grand Army. He 
has lived in Hartford thirty years and 
is one of the principal building con- 
tractors in that city. He has served 
in both branches of the Court of 
Common Council and is at the pres- 
ent time the first selectman. In all 
he has spent ten years on the Board 




ISAAC W. STUART, 
First xAdjutant Putnam Phalanx. 

of Selectmen. Chief of Staff Phil- 
brick was born in South Hadley 
Falls, Mass., and is sixty-two years 
of age. He is a man of fine intellect- 
ual gifts and a most interesting lec- 
turer, chiefly concerning the Yellow- 
stone park. 

JOHN W. TITCOMB. 

The Board of SeleC'"njen in Hart- 
ford also tias a representativ;^ on the 
staff in Lieutenant John W. Titcomb, 
(he assistant commissary. rielect- 
man Titcomb has lived in Hartford 
u J) wards of thirty yenrs, and is 
aoTive in poli; ics and business. He 
has a large amount of property under 
his management in Hai tford. He is 



connected with the Rev. Dr. Edwin 
Pond Parker's church and is a repre- 
sentative of the best type of citizen- 
ship. 

ARTHUR M. WILSON. 

Quartermaster Arthur M. Wilson 
has been a member of the Phalanx 
staff half a dozen years or more and 
is an ideal staff official. He is the 
vice president and treasurer of the 
E. S. Kibbe company, one of the 
largest wholesale grocery houses in 
Hartford. He is a native of Windsor 
and is forty-eight years of age. 

CHARLES H. KEYES. 

.ludge Advocate Charles H. Keyes 
is the principal of the South sciiool 
in Hartford and one of the most 
widely known educators in Xbw Eng- 




EX-GOV. GEORGE P. M'LEAN, 
Past Judge Advocate Putnam Phalanx. 

land He came here from the west 
some years ago with an established 
reputation as a teacher He is an ex- 
ponent of modern methods in the ed- 
ucational field Judge Advocate 
Keyes is a Knight Templar and a 
fine after dinner speaker 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



ATHLETIC GAMES AT TROTTING PARK 



The Centennial athletic games were 
a strong feature of to-day's programme 
and the Meriden Trotting park was the 
niecca in the afternoon for a large num- 
ber of sporting people as well as others 
of less sportive proclivities, all bent on 
seeking the best list of field and track 
events, arranged for any meet in this 
town in many a day. 

Yale, Wesleyan and Trinity entries 
served to give the meet imiisual promi- 
nence, and noted amateurs from l\ew 
York and Brooklyn, as well as the state 
and local entries made up as fine and 
clean an aggregation of athleces as 
might be looked for at any of the big 
college meets. The meet too, sanc- 
tioned by the Amateur Athletic Union 
of America, will have a record in the 
annals of sporting events of widespread 
importance. 

Prominent among the Yale starters 
was E. B. Parsons, Jr., who has repre- 
sented his college at the Grecian games 
and the intercollegiate meets and holds 
the half-mile record. Allen F. Foster 
and J. F. Williams were two other 
prominent Yale men entered in the 
mile and half-mile events. In the 
sprints J. E. Drummond of Yale was 
regarded as a likely candidate for prize 
honors. 

First on the programme were the 
track events, and it was after 2 o'clock 
when the first heat of the 100 yards 
dash fopen) was called and alternat- 
ing with this event was the 100 yards 
dash for local sprinters. Then c?m.e 
the half-mile run, tug of war, final 
heats in the open and local 100 yards 
dashes, one-mile run, 220 yards dash 
and mile relay race. The field events, 
which were for local athletes, came in 
this order: High jump, pole vault, broad 
jump and shot put. 

It was, indeed a most successful 
event, though the attendance might have 
been larger were the park more con- 
venient of access. 

Robinson, of Yale, who was entered 



just before the meet, proved to be the 
star sprinter, for besides winning the 
100 yards open he also captured the 200 
yards dash, with L. B. Stevens, N. J. 
A. C, second, and J .E. Diamond, Yale, 
third. This was intended to be a 220 
yards dash, but a mistak ewas made in 
measuring the distance and after the 
time, 20 1-2 seconds, was announced it 
was found to be twenty yards short. 

LIST OF STARTERS. 

The following were the names and 
numbers of the starters in all the events : 

I, Geo. Fulton, Meriden; 2, Frank 
Despins, Meriden ; 3, Philip Despins, 
Meriden ; 4, Stanley Ray, Meriden ; 5, 
Harry Coan, Meriden ; 6, Claude Sut- 
liffe, Meriden ; 7, Edgar Adams, Meri- 
den ; 8, Raymond Mitchell, Meriden; g, 
Harold M. Budd, Meriden; 10, Her- 
bert J. Reeves, Meriden; 11, Frank Ma- 
ronn; 12, Walter Immich, Meriden; 13, 
Joseph Butler, Waterbury; 14, John F. 
Rourke, New Britain; 15, Edward San- 
berg, New Britain; 16, Timothy Dwy- 
er, Middletown ; 17, Lester B. Stevens, 
New Haven ; 18. James E. Drummond, 
Yale; 19, J. F. Williams, Yale; 20, Fred 
Heisler, New Britain ; 21, D. C. Pond, 
Trinity; 22, Jas. O. Morris, Trinity; 
23, W^m. E. Gould, New Britain ; 24, 
A. E. Mason, New Haven; 25, L. N. 
Foster, New Haven ; 26, Wm. L'Engle, 
New Haven ; 27, Edward B. Gray, Wes- 
leyan; 28, William Van Thun, Brook- 
lyn ; 29, E. B. 'Parsons, Jr., Yale ; 30, 
Hillier, C. McBurrowes, Yale ; 31, Burt 
J. Bannon, Hartford; 32. Allen E. 
Foster, Yale ; 33, Henry H. Mason, New 
Haven; 34, William F. Miller, New Ha- 
ven. 

OPEN EVENTS. 

This is a list of the entries for the 
different open events : 

100 yards dash — Henry H. Mason. 
Highwood ; J. E. Drummond, Yale ; Les- 
ter B. Stevens, N. Y. A. C, New Ha- 
ven ; William F. Miller, New Haven ; 
Timothy P. Dwyer, Middletown; Ed- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



283 



ward Sanberg, New Britain ; John F. 
Rourke, New Britain ; Joseph F. But- 
ler, Waterbury; Harold, Budd, Meriden; 
Raymond Mitchell, Meriden. 

220 yards dash — Raymond Mitchell, 
Y. M. C. A,, Meriden ; Joseph F. But- 
ler, Waterbury High school ; John F. 
Rourke, Tuxedo A. C, New Britain ; 
Edward Sanberg, Y. M. C. A., New 
Britain ; Timothy P. Dwyer, Middle- 
town; Lester B. Stevens, N. Y. A. C. ; 
James E. Drummond, Yale ; J. F. Wil- 
liams, Yale. 

One mile run — Fred Heisler, New 



A. E. Mason, New Haven ; L. N. Fos- 
ter, New Haven; Wm. J. L'Engle, Yale; 
Edward B. Gray, Wesleyan; William 
Van Thun, Brooklyn ; J. F. Williams, 
Yale; E. B. Parsons, Jr., Yale; Hillier 
C. McBurrowes, Yale; Burt J. Bannon, 
Hartford. 

LOCAL EVENTS. 

High jump — Raymond Mitchell, Har- 
r}' J .Coan, Walter L .Immich, Frank 
C. Maronn. 

Broad Jump — -Frank Despins, Stanley 
G. Ray, Philip J. Despins, H. J. Reeves. 

Shot Put — Frank C. Maronn, Frank 




OFFICE S. N. E. TELEPONE CO. 



Britain; D. C. Pond, Trinity; James 
O. Morris, Trinity; William E. Gould, 
Y. M. C. A., New Britain; Edward San- 
berg, New Britain ; A. E. Mason, New 
Haven; Wm. J. L'Engle, New Haven; 
Edward B. Gray, Wesleyan; William 
Van Thun, Xavier A. A., Brooklyn; J. 
F. Williams, Yale; E. B. Parsons, Jr., 
Yale; Allen E. Foster, Yale; Burt J. 
Bannon, Y. M. C. A., Hartford. 

Half Mile Run— Fred Heisler, New 
Britain; D. C. Pond, Trinity; James O. 
Morris, Trinity; Wm. E. Gould, New 
Britain ; Edward Sanberg, New Britain ; 



Despins, Robert Chaffee, H. J. Reeves. 

Pole Vault— Richard Hiller, John 
Marquardt, Herbert Maronn. 

100 Yards Dash — Geo. Fulton, Frank 
Despins, Philip J. Despins, Stanley G. 
Ray, Raymond Mitchell, Harold M. 
Budd, Herbert J. Reeves, Harry J. 
Coan, Claude V. Sutliffe, Edgar J. 
Adams. 

Mile Run— Frank C. Maronn, Walter 
L. Immich. 

Co. I Tug-of-War — Anthony Cara- 
bine, Capt. ; Geo. Magee. Herbert Spen- 
cer, L. B. K. Goring, E. F. Walcott. 



^84 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Co. L Tug-of-War — George Savage, 
William Bemont, William DeCantillon, 
William Thorpe, Harry Warner. 

Y. M. C. A. Relay— Frank C. Ma- 
ronn, H. J. Reeves, Geo. Fulton, Stan- 
ley Ray. 

Co. L Relay — Fred Hall, Henry 
Schaefer, George St. Arnauld, Samuel 
Tyler, Ray Mitchell. 

OFFICIALS. 

The officials of the meet were : 

Referee — Mayor Thomas L. Reillv. 

Clerk of Course— R. B. Hyatt. 

Assistant Clerk of Course — W. H. 
Hinsdale. 

Judges at Finish — Roswell Tripp, 
Yale; W. H. Crammer, A. N. Butler, 
J. J. Quill, Yale. 

Field Judges — J. E. Reynolds, W. C. 
North, Wesleyan; E. C. Geehring. 

Timers — W. T. Coholan, Yale ; Dan- 
iel Budd, Robert Pallet. 

Starter — J. M. Gates, Captain Yale 
track team. 

Announcer — R. R. Reilly. 

Scorer — Howard C. Tryon. 

SPRINT EVENTS. 

It was 2 :35 when the first heat of 
the 100 yards dash, open, was started 
and those who qualified were : 

Stevens, New Haven first, Drummond 
of Yale second and Miller of New Ha- 
ven, third. Time, lo 3-5 seconds. 

The winners of the second heat 
were : Robinson of Yale first : Rourke, 
New Britain, second; O'Connell, third. 
Time, 11 seconds. 

In the 100 yards for local sprinters, 
Phil Despins," Mitchell and Sutliffe 
qualified in order in the first heat. 
Time, 11 seconds. 

In the one mile run W. J. L'Engle of 
Yale came first ; W. Van Thun, Brook- 



Ij'u, second; A. E. Foster, Yale, third. 
Time 4 149. 

Ray, Budd and Coan qualified in the 
second heat. Time, 10 3-5 seconds, 
test by one-half inch. 

TUG OF WAR. 

Company I team won the first heat 
from Company L in the tug of war con- 

MASON WINS HALF MILE. 

Mason of Highwood won the half 
mile run, with Williams of Yale second 
and Parson of Yale, third Time, 
2:04 1-2. 

ROBINSON WINS FINAL. 

Robinson was first in the final heat of 
the 100 yards open ; O'Connell second 
and Stevens third. Time, 10 1-2. 

PHIL DESPINS WINS. 

Phil Despins won in the final of the 
local 100 yards dash, with Ray second 
and Mitchell third. Time, 10 3-5. 

WINNERS OF LOCAL EVENTS. 

Pole vault — First, Herbert Maronn ; 
second, John Marquardt; third, Richard 
Hiller; distance, 7 feet, 6 inches. 

Shot put — First, Robert Chaffee ; sec- 
ond, Frank Maronn ; third, H. J. 
Reeves; distance, 34 feet, 2 inches. 

High jump — First, Ray Mitchell; sec- 
ond, Harry Coan ; third, Frank Maronn ; 
height, 4 feet, 8 inches. 

Broad ump — First, Phillip Despins; 
second, Frank Mraonn; third, Stanley 
Ray; distance, 17 feet, 10 inches. 

Relay race, one mile — First, High 
school ; second, Compan I ; third, Y. M. 
C. A. ; timt, 4 minutes, 3-5 seconds. 

It was said the poor showing made 
by Parsons, the crack distance runner 
of Yale, was due to the fact that he 
has been hard at work this week on his 
examinations, and was in anything but 
o'ood form. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



285 



Saturda}^ June 16 — Incorporation Day 



The rain which fell in the morning 
could not dampen the Centennial en- 
thusiasm, nor to any great extent mar 
the success of Meriden's great gala 
week. The Saengerbund parade, the 
reproduction of "The First Town 
meeting" were given in the morning 
according to the schedule, while at 12 :58 
the Holy Cross and Wesleyan baseball 
teams arrived at the depot and were 
met by a big crowd to see the stars of 
both colleges. It had just stopped rain- 
ing and the weather was yet threaten- 
ing, but this did not deter the two clubs, 
and after dressing at the Winthrop ho- 
tel they proceeded to Hanover park. 

The historical exercises in the after- 
noon at the First Congregational church 
formed a memorable occasion in them- 
selves. 

The church was well filled when the 
announcement was made of the sing- 
ing of the national hymn by the au- 
dience. Then Rev. 'Albert J. Lord 
gaye the invocation, appealing for the 
Divine blessing upon the gathering. 

George IMunson Curtis, president of 
the General Centennial committee, who 
has given many months of earnest ef- 
fort to the Centennial celebration, gave 
a few introductory remarks, briefly re- 
viewing what had been accomplished 
and the purpose of the occasion. 

The Commemoration ode was read by 
its author, William Savage Johnson, 
Ph. D., of Yale university, and a Mer- 
iden boy. This poem, which will be 
found in full on page 47, was written 
by this talented young man for the oc- 
casion. 

Judge Simeon E. Baldwin, LL. D.. 
of New Haven, justice of the Supreme 
court, and president of the American 
Historical association, in his address 
represented the New Haven Colony 
Historical society, which numbers Mer- 
iden people in its list. His address will 
be found in full on another page. 



Following the organ voluntary, 
George M. Curtis gave an address on a 
"General Historical Sketch of Meriden." 
This comprehensive paper, which is one 
of the most complete and interesting 
of the features of the Centtnnial is 
given in full elsewhere. 

St. Andrew's choir sang an anthem,, 
and then Hon. Cyrus LaRue MunsDu, 
of Williamsport, Pa., gave a most in- 
teresting address upon "New Eng- 
land's Influence upon our Institutions 
and in American Progress." The ad- 
dress in full is also given elsewere. 
It was listened to with great attention 
and forms a noteworthy paper in the 
great historical review. 

After the singing of "America" by 
the audience, the afternoon exercises 
closed with the benediction bv Rev. A. 
J. Lord. 

The evening exercises were held in 
the same church at 7 :30 and consisted 
to a great extent of the same line of 
thought that was considered in the af- 
ternoon. 

The programme is given in full as 
follows : 

Auld Lang Syne sung by the audience 

Invocation Rev. Albert J. Lord 

Address, The Infant Industries of • 
Meriden During the Years 1825 to 
1850. New England Echoes from 

Other Lands 

Julius H. Pratt, of Montclair, N. T. 

Address, Recollection of Meriden Sixty 

Years Ago 

Prof. David N. Camp, of New Britain 

Reading of Winning Historical Essays 

of school children and awarding of 

prizes 

William P. Kelly. Supt. of schools 

Old Hundred, sung by the audience 
Benediction Rev. Albert J. Lord 



286 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



REPRODUCTION OF FIRST TOWN MEETING 



The "Reproduction of the First Town 
Meeting of Meriden" brought out an 
audience that completely filled the seat- 
ing capacity of the auditorium of the 
new Town hall. The same decorations 
that graced the Colonial ball were al- 
lowed to remain and served as an added 
charm to the stage settings and cos- 
tumes of a century ago. 

Representative citizens of both Mer- 
iden and Wallingford were in attend- 
ance, and the distinguished women of 
the city and the borough were likewise 
largely in evidence. For many the re- 
production of town meeting scenes was 
entirely new and for such old timers 
in the service as First Selectman George 
W. Miller and Town Clerk Herman 
Hess, it was a refreshing representation 
of scenes enacted in their own times, 
and there was enough of the comedy 
element to relieve the monotony and 
tediousness of the customary cut and 
dried town meetin' facts. 

Sherman F. Johnson, the author of 
the reproduction, was the recipient of 
many hearty congratulations for the 
clever manner in which he grouped the 
historical facts of one hundred years 
ago and put them into dramatic form. 
It was no easy task to take such a dry 
subjject and mould it into an interest- 
ing as well as instructive play, but Mr. 
Johnson proved equal to the occasion, 
and not only that but he showed that 
he is a capable stage director in addi- 
tion to being a thespian of no mean 
ability. All the congratulations he re- 
ceived were fully deserved. 

The only unfortunate mix-up that 
occurred during the entire week hap- 
pened in connection with the reproduc- 
tion of the town meeting at which the 
Putnam Phalanx was to be present and 
act as an escort of the cast to the au- 
ditorium. 

Owing to an unfortunate misunder- 
standing between committees, the cast 
was not notified to go to the Winthrop 
to be escorted and the Putnam Pha- 



lanx, who were ready and waiting for 
the purpose, were not notified until too, 
late for them to attend the meeting. 
The Phalanx were in no manner re- 
sponsible for their not being present. 

The stage with its antique benches, 
colonial color and pictures of George 
Washington and Israel Putnam, was 
in keeping with the period of repro- 
duction, as far as possible, and the cos- 
tumes of the cast and electors were 
truly representative of by-gone times. 

All the principals of the cast did 
very creditable work. Dr. G. A. Hill, 
as Dr. Ensign Hough, was the person- 
ification of dignity, and he made an 
ideal part of the doctor. In contrast 
to Dr. Hough was Moses Barns, im- 
personated by Waldemar C. Hirsch- 
feld, and he put a lot of dramatic force 
into the fiery, secessionist, who wanted 
to cut loose at once from all Walling- 
ford surroundings. 

Two others, who filled all require- 
ments, were Hugh F. Hagarty, as Geo. 
W. Stanley, the moderator, and Rev. 
A. W. Shaw, as town clerk. They 
were exact reproductions of what might 
be considered their prototypes a cen- 
tury ago. William C. Brown, as Giles 
O. Griswold, was another who invested 
his character with a good deal of dig- 
nity and sustained his part admirably 
to the end. Sherman F. Johnson gave 
an idealistic impersonation of Rev. 
Erastus Riple3% a clergyman of the old 
school. 

Mr. Johnson showed considerable ver- 
satility in his comedy work, for the 
three comedians were entirely distinct, 
one from the other. There was Absa- 
lom Royce, the part taken by Albert 
A. Gustine, who made a spread eagle 
speech that thoroughly enthused the en- 
tire audience. Then Frank L. Bur- 
leigh, as Hezekiah Prindle. was the typi- 
cal old tavern rounder, with his bea- 
con light, and his acting was capital, 
without oeing overdone at any time. 
Most of the quiet comedy work fell to 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



287 



Arthur W. Taylor, who was full of 
funny business, as Herodotus Peck, 
from start to finish. 

Dr. Isaac Hough, son of Dr. Ensign 
Hough, let his father do all the talking. 
Principal W. J. Prouty, of the Meriden 
High school, who impersonated this 
party, was strong on makeup, if not 
talk, and he broughc down the house 
on his first appearance. 

Others in the cast who saw that the 
motions were properly put and seconded 
w'ere Charles M. Glantz as Jehu Pres- 
ton and Henry L. Carpenter as Deacon 
Mitchell. 

Besides the above cast there was a 
number of electors at the meeting in- 
cluding Chatham Freeman, Richard 
Griffin, H. D. Beebe, Alfred B. Savage, 
Herbert Billian, August H. Riecke, Ed- 
ward D. Bradstreet, Nelson C. John- 
son, Stanley White, Dwight Ives, Stan- 
ley Lynn, Walter L. Immich, Leroy W. 
Gardner, Samuel McNabb, John B. 
Dunlop, Herbert C. May, Edwin E. Gib- 
son, Ed. L. Montgomery, E. 'M. Ives, 
Ed. Hart, H. Burdette Evarts. Oliver 
R. McCarthy, jr., Burton I. Miller, Wil- 
liam Wear, Lewis E. Wood, Albert Gra- 
ham and Augustus H. Jones. 

A full text of the reproduction fol- 
lows : 

(Enter Moses Barns and Giles Gris- 
wold.) 

(Barns) Ho! Friend Griswold, you 
and I be the first ones here. Don't the 
people of Meriden appreciate their 
rights and privileges enough to get up 
in time for the first town meeting in 
their history? You and I, Griswold, are 
the most earnest and patriotic men in 
Meriden. 

(Griswold) And all the more remark- 
able on your part, Master Barns, since 
you have but lately become one of us. 

(Barns) But now I have become one 
of you I am the most loyal of citizens 
of the new town. Cheshire wasn't no 
place for a live man. In Meriden I hope 
to find men — even if they be too lazy 
to get to their first town meeting as 
early as me — 

(Griswold) A converted Cheshire 
man. 

(Barns) You won't find me no back- 
slider, nuther. Master Griswold. I be 
a fair, just man, I be, so that when I tell 
you Cheshire is a very Sodom and 
Gamorrah to flee from I hope you be- 



lieve me. Them Cheshire men are a 
queer passel of folk. They tell this 
story of a Cheshire man who sells milk 
to them who don't raise cows. It 
mayn't be true — and it may. The 
man's nephew, who had been a sailor, 
come home from a voyage and brought 
with him a monkey he'd picked up some 
where. Well, the old man had been 
paid one day and paid in money. Money 
being as scarce with him as with most 
men he kept ataking of it out of his 
pocket and looking at it and counting 
it. There's a little pond near his house 
and he sat down on the bank and a.-, 
usual begun to look at and count his 
monev. Well, it seems the monkey 
had been watching him and when it 




SHERM \\ 1 J HNSOX. 

found a chance it grabbed the money 
and climbed the tree under which tne 
man was sitting. The little critter sat 
down on a limb and begun to count the 
money. The first coin he throwed down 
to the man, the second he throwed in- 
to the pond, and so he kept it up. See- 
ing which our friend throws up his 
hands and yells : "He must be the devil, 
for what come from the milk he gives 
back to me, and what come from the 



288 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



water he gives back to the water." Of 
course, I won't say the story's true. 

(Griswold) You only suspect it is. 
Ha! Ha! 

(Barns) Yes, and they say this same 
man is so mean that when he travels 
more than a day's journey he always 
carries a hen along in his wagon to 
pick up the oats his horse wastes and 
to lay him an egg for his breakfast. 
And that story I believe. 

(Griswold) You don't give a feilow 
creature credit for more virtues than 
he can prove he possesses. 

(Barns) What's the use? Even when 




H. L. CARPI-XTER. 

you take the strictest accounting there 
be always plenty of faults you don't 
know about. What I should" like to 
know, Friend Griswold, is why you 
people of Aleriden allow the first' meet- 
ing in your history to have for it's mod- 
erator a Wallingford man? Ain't there 
enough life-sized men in Meriden, or 
don't 3'ou dare cut wholly loose from 
your mother's apron strings? 

(Griswold) Why, Master Stanley wa.- 
appointed moderator by the General 
Assembly when it granted us permis- 
sion to hold the meeting and become a 
separate town. Besides we have no 



quarrel with our mother town. We 
part not in anger. 'Tis only that we 
be so far away that we would leave her. 
We have nothing but love and respect 
for Wallingford. 

(Bams) Love and respect! Bah I Tis 
a boiling disgrace that Meriden's first 
town meeting should be managed oy a 
man from Wallingford. I know naught 
of George W. Stanley save that m >s 
a Wallingford man — but that's enough. 
(Griswold) You, our newest citizen^ 
seem the most concerned about our 
town's dignity. 

(Barns) Dignity! Bah! Common 
rights, common justice. Why didn't wc 
elect a Britisher our first President in- 
stead of General Washington? T.-^-'n't 
too late to have one now. Tell Presi- 
dent Jefferson and he will get out and 
let a beef-eating redcoat in. Why not 
show our love and respect for Old 
Mother England? ]\Iark mj' words'. 
We aint done with the old lady yet. 
What is she doing now? Stopping all 
our ships, interfering with our com- 
merce and snapping her fingers at Pres- 
ident Jefferson, when he tries to pro- 
test. And do you suppose that all thi> 
coun.try to the west that our Captain 
Lewis and Captain Clark have this year 
traveled across and explored — do jou 
'spose the British won't be holding that 
with their bullets and bayonets. ^'^^ 
may suppose they won't, but I know 
better. And thev'd hke to get their 
claws on Texas, which Captain Zeb- 
Pike has just explored and which some 
folks is talking of taking into our union 
of states. Lord ! we don't want no more 
land. We got more than we can han- 
dle now. I never would have bought 
the Louisiana Territory. Who's that 
comin' in. Friend Griswold? 

(Griswold) Ha! Ha! That is a most 
enlightening question. That is Parson 
Ripley. Where be you o' Sundays, Mas- 
ter Barns? 

(Barns) I ain't no Congregationalist- 
This is the first time I was ever in the 
meeting house. I be a Baptist. I was 
present at the ordination of my own 
pastor. Rev. Samuel Miller, the other 
day. 

(Ripley) Well, my good men, voii .ire 
here, bright and early. 

(Griswold) Almost as early, parson^ 
as when I got home from your ordi- 
nation ball three years ago. 

(Ripley) Ha! Ha! and I hope clearer 
headed. 



CENJENNIAL OF MERIDKN. 



289 



(Enter Chatham Freeman.) 

(Ripley) Ah! Friend Freeman, come 
to exercise the rights won by bullets 
and bravery? 

(Griswold to Barns) 'Tis Chatiiani 
Freeman. He was a slave of Noah 
Yale before the war, but he, Black Boss, 
Abel Curtiss' black boy; and some oth- 
ers of the slaves held here won th--; 
freedom by enlisting in the army. 

(Enter Jehu Preston and others.) 

(Griswold) What ails Jehu Preston? 
Jehu, where have you been? 

(Preston) Where have I been? It"s 
lucky Fm not there now. Why, I tcli 
ofif the bridge across Pilgrims' Harbor 
Brook into the swamp. 

(Barns) And of all swamps thai is 
the swampest I ever see. Whatever 
you people settled this place for is more 
than I can understand. With that mire 
and muck to the west of us and that 
tangle of Dogs' Misery to the east of 
us — 'tis a wonder you wasn't all 'Mt'aer 
drowned or lost. 

(Griswold) They tell of what might 
have been a very pretty romance in rri- 
nection with the Pilgrims' Harbor 
brook. The daughter of Captain Ezc- 
kiel Rice, over there, fell into the wa- 
ter, and was rescued unconscious. She 
was of a romantic, high strung, iixhty 
nature, and she vowed she'd wed h-=;r 
rescuer. 

(Barns) Well, did she? 

(Griswold) Why, no. You see she 
v.'as saved by Stephen Bailey's big New- 
foundland dog. 

(Ripley) Ah, here comes Dr. Hough 
— both Drs. Hough. 

(Barns) Deliver me from the whole 
tribe of Houghs. Bah ! 

(Griswold) What have you against 
them? Speak low, Dr. Ensign Hough is 
our most prominent citizen, and, as men 
in this town go, a big man. 

(Barns) His son, Dr. Isaac Hough, I 
can well believe, is a big man. 

(Griswold) He is tarnal sensitive 
about his weight, which must be nigh 
400 pounds or more. 

(Barns) I can't stomach none of 'em. 

(Griswold) What have the Houghs 
ever done to you ? 

(Barns) They're an overbearin', ar- 
rogant set of dandies, who, because 
they've got more eddication than most 
of us, and can dress in fine clothes and 
wear beaver hats every day, and carry 
gold-headed canes think tha.t they're bet- 
ter than their neighbors. And how do 

19 



they make their money? Why, by grind- 
in' the poor ! When I had the lumbago 
last winter, I had the old doctor come 
to see me once — just once, mind ye,^ 
and he charged me a shilling — twenty- 
five cents for driving over to my place 
just once. 

(Griswold) Twenty-five cents is his 
regular fee, Master Barns. 

(Barns) Grindin' the poor, and him 
growing rich with his tavern, too. Why, 
he sells enough rum to make him a rich 
man — and tarnation poor liquor at that! 

(Griswold), Oh! Come now. Master 
Barns, You can't say the doctor don't 
keep the best. 




A. A. GUSTINE. 

(Barns) I believe you. He keeps it 
close. He sells the worst. 

(Griswold) No, no, the doctor's liq- 
uors are good, sound, healthy liquors. 
Didn't you never hear about the Hart- 
ford man who liked the stuff? No? 
Well, it was this way. He was on his 
way to New Haven a horseback. He 
stopped in front of the tavern, and, with- 
out getting down from his horse, called 
out to one of the doctor's female help : 
"Say, do you keep good cider?" "We 
do that," says the girl. "Fetch me a 



290 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



quart," says he. The girl brought him 
a quart of cider, which he drank at 
one long draught. Then he sat think- 
ing and smacking his lips in judgment. 
Then, "Fetch me another," says he. So 
the girl fetches him another quart, which 
he drinks like the other, at one 
draught, and still sitting in his saddle. 
Then he hands back the pot, slowly 
swings himself from his horse and says, 
"Yes, that is pooty fair. I guess TU go 
in and have some." 

(Barns) Every man to his taste. That 
must have been some time ago. He nev- 




WILLIAM C. BR OWN. 

er could have drank so much of the 
brand the doctor sells to-day. 

(Griswold) Not so long, nuther. Let 
me think. 'Twas the same year Gener- 
al Washington came to Meriden and 
that was — that was in 1797 — nine years 
ago. 

(Barns) Drat these pewter buttons! 
I hope Samuel Yale is here to-day. I 
want to give him a piece of my mind 
about the way he makes his buttons. If 
a man is going to do a job, why can't 
he do it proper? I say — ah! there he 
is. I'll tell him! (Moves over to 
Yale. ) 



(Rev. Ripley) Ah, Dr. Hough, this 
is a glorious day in the history of our 
town. 

(Hough) Glorious, indeed, Parson 
Ripley. We are making history to- 
day. In a humble way, perhaps, but 
history, nevertheless. Americans are 
never content until they are free, 
parson. 

(Ripley) Perhaps some day we shall 
be as thriving and important a place 
as our parent town, or even one of 
our eapitols, Hartford or New Haven. 

(Hough) It will take time, but no 
telling what will happen. (Enter 
Stanley.) Ah, there is Master Stanley. 
(Advances to meet Stanley) Good 
morning. Mother Wallingford. You 
have the honor of being the last Wal- 
lingford man to act as moderator at a 
Meriden meeting. 

(Stanley) 'Tis an honor I deeply ap- 
preciate, Dr. Hough. Is Amos White 
here? I must have a word with him be- 
fore opening the meeting. (All go 
aside.) (Barns and several others in 
center.) 

(Barns) I be nothing if I be not loy- 
al. Now that I'm a citizen of Meriden 
I will see no other town but Meriden 
and I protest against a Wallingford man 
bein' moderator at our first town meet- 
ing. I'm a Meriden man and I'm loyal 
to Meriden. I'm an American and I 
say to blazes with everything British ! 
There's no place like America, there's 
no tune like Yankee Doodle, there's no 
food like the Yankee hasty pudding, 
and no poet to sing its virtues like Joel 
Barlow. A good Connecticut man, born 
at Reading, and he praises a good Con- 
necticut dish. 

(Stanley advances to the platform.) 

(Stanley) Men of the town of Meri- 
den : As moderator of this meeting, duly 
chosen by order of the General Assem- 
bly to act as such, I hereby call to order 
the first town meeting in the history of 
Meriden. As a son of Wallingford, of 
which all of you were sons until to- 
day, when you lay down the duties and 
responsibilities only to take up graver 
duties and more exacting respons- 
ibilities as a son of Wallingford, 
your mother town, I bear to you to-day 
a message of kindly regard and the 
earnest wish that this new town may 
thrive and prosper. We of Walling- 
ford bear you nothing but good will. 
We shall look upon you as our child — 



CENTEMNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



291 



but we shall have a parent's tenderness 
to forgive, if forgiveness be necessary, 
and a parent's soliciture .that your path 
be not too rough and arduous. 

I have requested Amos White to act 
as clerk until you choose one for your- 
self. I will ask him to read the resolve 
of the General Assembly. 

(White reads) At a General Assem- 
bly of the State of Connecticut holden 
at Hartford on the second Thursdav in 
JNlay, 1806.— 

Upon the petition of Phinehas Ly- 
man and other inhabitants of the Town 
of Wallingford in the County of New 
Haven showmg to this Assembly that 
the parish of Meriden in said town con- 
stitutes, in extent, population and prop- 
erty more than one-third part of said 
town, and that they do no.t in their 
present situation enjoy their just rights 
to which they are entitled in common 
wi.th their fellow citizens ; praying that 
said parish may be incorporated with 
the ordinary rights, privileges and im- 
munities which are enjoyed by other 
towns in the state as by petition on iile 
dated February 14th A. D., 1804. This 
petition was preferred to this Assem- 
bly at their session holden at Hartford 
on the second Thursday in May, 1804, 
and was legally served on the Inhabi- 
tans of said Town and returned, and by 
legal continuance came to this Session 
of said Assembly, when the said In- 
habitants were three times publicly 
called and made default of appearance — 

The Petitioners were heard and the 
facts stated in said petition were fully 
proved ,to be true. 

Resolved, by this Assembly that the 
inhabitants living within the limits of 
said parish of Meriden be and they are 
hereby incorporated into and made a 
town by the name of Meriden, and that 
they and their successors, inhabitants 
within said limits, are and shall for- 
ever be and remain a town and body 
politic with the ordinary rights, priv- 
leges and immunities which are enjoyed 
by other towns in this state by virtue 
of their respective incorporation : and 
the right to elect and send one repre- 
sentative only to the General Assembly 
until by law they shall be entitled to 
elect and send two; that the dividing line 
between the first society in said Wal- 
lingford and said parish of Meriden be 
and remain the dividing line ; that all 
persons who shall be residents in said 
town including said parish and support- 



ed in whole or in part by said town and 
parish at the rising of this assembly, 
and also all inhabitants of said town and 
parish who shall be without the limits 
of said town and parish, and afterwards 
return and become chargeable, with all 
charges and expenses which shall arise 
by reason of any such person or per- 
sons shall be apportioned between said 
Town of Wallingford and said Town of 
Meriden according ,to the amount of 
their respective lists for August 20th, 
1804, as completed and returned to the 
,town clerk's office; said division and ap- 
portionment in case said towns shall not 
agree, to be made by three disinter- 




H. F. HACiAKTY. 

ested persons, of whom two shall be 
chosen by said Town of Wallingford, 
and one by said Town of Meriden ; and 
wi.th a just reference to the number, 
and expense necessary for the purpose 
of such chargeable persons; that all 
debts which shall be due from said town 
including said parish, and all debts 
which shall be due to said town at said 
da,te shall be divided and apportioned 
between the said towns according to 
the lists and in the manner herein be- 
fore prescribed relating to chargeable 



292 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



persons; that the said Town of Meriden 
shall repair and when necessary build 
the bridge of which one-half is within 
the limits of said Town of Wallingford, 
across Wallingford river so called, 
known and called by the name of Falls 
Plain Bridge, at the cost and expense 
of said Town of Meriden ; That all col- 
lectors of taxes granted or which shall 
be granted before said time, shall have 
power to collect the same as fully as if 
this resolve had not passed ; that said 
Town of Meriden shall hold their first 
meeting at the Meeting House in said 
Meriden on the third Monday in June 
next at one o'clock afternoon, and pro- 
ceed ,to to the choice of all town of- 
ficers, the moderator of said meeting 
excepted ; by law allowed and estab- 
lished ; which meeting shall be warned 
by warrant signed by George W. Stan- 
ley Esquire, a Justice of Peace for New 
Haven County, and posted on the public 
sign post in said Meriden at least ten 
days previous to said third Monday, and 
said George W. Stanley, Esquire, shall 
be moderator of said meeting; and in 
case of the absence of said justice, Eph- 
raim Cook, Esquire, a Justice of Peace 
for said county, is hereby impowered 
to sign such warrant, and preside in 
said meeting. 

(Stanley) Your first duty, gentlemen, 
will be to elect a town clerk. 

(Herodotus Peck) Why, what's 
Amos? 

(Stanley) Master White is clerk of 
this meeting, but not town clerk, unless 
you see fit to elect him to that office. 

(Peck) Why, I guess that's all right. 
Tm sure I s'posed — 

(Stanley) I shall have to ask that 
you remove your hat, sir. I shall have 
to ask that all remove .their hats during 
the meeting. 

(Barns) I don't take off my hat for 
no man. 

(Griswold) It is but the act of a 
gentleman. 

(Dr. Hough) I object. This is a town 
meeting and such questions as this one 
we are to decide for ourselves. As a 
man I have no objection to removing rny 
hat; indeed I should take pleasure in 
complying with such a request, but as 
a citizen of Meriden I object. (Cheers.) 
(Barns arises and ostentatiously re- 
moves his ha.t.) (Hisses.) 
(Peck) What shall I do? 
(Stanley) This seems to me a very 
small matter. 



(Dr. Hough) It is small, if viewed 
from one angle, but we who have jus,t 
come into our rights are tenacious of 
even the smallest of them. 

(Stanley) We are in the Lord's house. 
Master Riplej', what say you? 

(Ripley) There are some members of 
my congregation who objected to our 
meeting here at all, and they suggested 
that if this church was to be employed 
as a meeting place that the Episcopal- 
ians and the Baptists also should pro- 
vide halls. Seeing that there is this 
feeling, it might be the part of wis- 
dom to proceed as reverently as possi- 
ble, and I would agree with our mod- 
erator in his request tha,t we remove 
our hats. 

(Hough) I was not aware that there 
existed any feeling against our using 
this edifice for our town meeting. We 
would not force ourselves where we are 
not wanted, so I take pleasure in ex- 
tending an invitation to make use of 
my tavern in place of this church. 

(Barns) The doctor's generosity is 
overwhelming. No wonder he can car- 
ry a gold-headed cane when his own 
head is gold producing. A town meet- 
ing in a tavern ! Would such a meeting 
ever end? Why, every motion would be 
tabled and every one of us under the 
table with no motions possible. The 
good doctor's fortune would be made, 
but as for me it seems as if the town 
meeting would get less harm from the 
spirituality of this edifice than the spir- 
ituousness of the other. 

(Hough) The gentleman certainly 
imputes to me motives that have their 
origin only in his own distorted imagi- 
nation. 

(Barns) Distorted imaginations would 
be still commoner if we accepted your 
invitation. 

(Hough) I believe that I am suf- 
ficiently well beknown to you all for 
you to recognize my singleness of pur- 
pose. 

(Barns) They certainly could better 
recognize your singleness of purpose if 
you would provide the doubleness of 
vision. 

(Hough) Bah ! I will not bandy \yords 
with you, sir! You are a mean spirited 
fellow, sir. 

(Barns) You should be a good judge 
of spirits, sir. 

(Stanley) The gentlemen will refrain 
from continuing the discussion. The 
question which is before yon is not one 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



293 



of church or tavern, but one of hats. 
Shall they be removed ? 

(Grisvvold) I move you, Mr. Moder- 
ator, that any person may wear his hat 
in town meeting except when address- 
ing the moderator. 

(Samuel Yale) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) Gentlemen, you have heard 
the motion, "That any person may wear 
his hat in town meeting except when 
addressing the moderator." All those 
in favor of this motion will sav ave. 

(All) Aye. 

(Stanley) Contrary minded. 

(Barns) No. 

(Stanley It is a vote. 




CHARLES M. GLANTZ. 



(Hough) Mr. Moderator. 

(Stanley) Dr. Hough. 

(Hough) With all due respect for our 
moderator you will understand my feel- 
ings when I say that I am rejoiced to 
think that to-day is the last time I 
shall address a Wallingford man as 
presiding officer in town meeting. To- 
day the history of the town of Meriden 
begins. "The days of our years," says 
the psalmist, "are three-score years and 
ten, and, if by reason of strength th^y 



be fourscore years,, yet is their strength 
labor and sorrow, for they are soon 
cut off and we fly away." Years are 
the one thing a man possesses with 
which he would willingly part were he 
able. You younger men, some of you, 
are saying to yourself : "That is Dr. 
Hough. He has more worldly gear tliaii 
I, but he is full of years. His stay on 
earth must be brief. I would not change 
places with him." But I tell you, 
young men, neither would I change 
places with you- For I have a price- 
less heritage that you can never have. 
What does July the Fourth, 1776, mean 
to you? Doubless it means much. I 
hope — nay, I know — ^^that when you hear 
the rat-a-tat-tat of the drum and the 
shrill wail of the fife your blood flows 
quicker through your veins, your heart 
beats in time with the music and you 
feel ready to sacrifice your life as your 
fathers were ready when Captain Couch 
and his company of Meriden men 
marched off to fight their country's bat- 
tles. But brave as ye are, ready as ye 
are to risk life and limb and personal 
liberty for your country, that glorious 
day, July Fourth, 1776, cannot mean 
to you what it means to me and to oth- 
er gray-headed fellows. And that is 
why I would not change places with you. 
I would not for your youth barter the 
memory of that day over thirty years 
ago. The days that followed were anx- 
ious days, hard days, days of danger. 
But time has softened their harshness 
and has sanctified them and I would 
not exchange them for your youth. I 
have not forgotten ,the suffering that 
they brought. I am not among those 
who are now clamoring for another war 
with Britain. I do not, I repeat, forget 
the horrors of war, but I do affirm that, 
were those horrors ten times what they 
were, they were not too great a price 
to pay for liberty. 

The occasion to-day is no,t altogeth- 
er similar to that of thirty j-ears ago. 
We have not rebelled ; we have thrown 
off no tyrant's yoke ; we have arrived 
here without struggle or bloodshed. 
Nevertheless, I feel something of the 
old thrill when I look into your face 
and realize that I am looking into the 
faces of fellow citizens — fellow citizens 
of Meriden. 

We who have worked for this con- 
summation may be excused if we give 
vent to our feelings. You all know the 
historv of the efforts that are to-dav 



294 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



crowned with success. The lirst move 
was made before the war, back in 1773 
— a generation ago. Then it was peti- 
tioned that a part of the parish of Mer- 
iden be annexed to Farmington and 
transferred to the county of Harford. 
Thirteen years later, in 1786, a petition 
was presenteed asking leave to be an- 
nexed to the county of Middlesex and 
that we be incorporated as a town. This 
petition, as you know, was opposed at 
the Wallingford town meeting and the 
matter was allowed to rest until 1794, 
when we again requested permission to 
become incorporated as a separate town 
and be annexed to Middlesex county. 
A year later Wallingford threw a sop 
to us, voting ,to hold one-third of the 
selectmen's and one-third of the free- 
men's meetings in Meriden. But the 
day of compromise had gone by and 
three 3'ears and again two years ago 
we petitioned for incorporation. There 
was a joint committee chosen to look 
into the matter and on the i8th of Sep- 
,tember of last year it was voted in 
town meeting to accept the report of 
this committee. The petition to the 
General Assembly followed and the res- 
olution of that body incorporating the 
town of Meriden has been read this 
morning. No sound of trumpet an- 
nounces the triumph of our patience ; 
but a triumph it is for all that ! We 
may well clasp hands in solemn joy. In 
all ,the English language there is no 
dearer, sweeter word than home. What 
memories cluster around it! What joys 
have bathed it in the sunshine of heav- 
en ; what sorrows have kept it green 
with their tears! A man may travel 
to the uttermost pants of the earth, he 
may behold the wOnders of nature and 
the triumphs of genius in all lands and 
climes; he may listen to the roar of 
mighty cataracts or the harmonies of 
earth's great musicians; he may drink 
in the perfumes of the gardens of the 
south or the pine forests of the north, 
but in all the round world there is but 
one place he may call home I Our home 
is Meriden. 

In the years that are to come see that 
ye prove worthy of your home. The 
home gives love, but it requires loyalty; 
it offers peace but it demands protec- 
tion. The greater the privileges vouch- 
safed us the greater are the duties im- 
posed upon us. If you would enjoy 
the one it is necessary that you perform 
the other. Life, liberty and the pur- 



suit of happiness you have been taught 
to believe are your inalienable rights. 
So they are, but it took the blood of 
your fathers ; it took the breaking 
hearts of your mothers through seven 
years of cruel warfare to establish the 
truth of the doctrine. Neither will 
your privileges as citizens of Meriden 
be lightly given. In this world we pay 
for wha we get. You must pay for 
your privileges by the performance of 
your duties. 

But I will cease to preach lest you 
think me a fault finder. The growler 
should be one of two things — a reformer 
or a stage coach driver. We need re- 
formers — men who growl to some pur- 
pose — but men who growl to no pur- 
pose should drive coaches — and sleep in 
'em. 

I would only urge, then, that you 
remember that Meriden is your mother 
town — a mother to be guarded from all 
ills, to be honored amidst good and evil 
fortune, to be revered and loved, in 
sunshine and storm, a mo,ther to whom 
you are loyal, not because she demands 
loyalty but because you cannot help but 
give it. 

(Peck, Royce and Prindle all jump 
up) 

(Royce) Mr. Moderator (speaks 
quickly) 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator, I believe I 
have the floor. 

(Peck) Hey, you. 

(Royce) Mr. Moderator! 

(Prindle) Have I the floor? 

(Peck) Say! 

(Stanley) Sir, I do not know your 
name. 

(Peck) Herodotus Peck. 

(Royce) Absalom Royce. 

(Prindle) Sir, my name is Ebenezer 
Prindle. 

(Stanley) I refer to you, the gentle- 
man with the- — ^.the — 

(Barns) The face? 

(Stanley )The gentleman with the red 
hair. 

(Peck) Me? 

(Stanley) Yes, sir. Do you wish 
to address the chair? 

(Peck) No, sir, I was just goin' to 
say — 

(Prindle) If the gentleman was not 
going to address the chair I believe that 
I have the floor. 

(Royce) Mr. Moderator! 

(S,tanley) Did the gentleman wish to 
offer any observations? 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIUEN. 



295 



(Peck) No, sir, I was goin' to say — 

(Prindle) The gentleman is out of 
order. Mr. Moderator, have I the 
floor? 

(Stanley) No, sir, you have not. Not 
until this other gentleman has had op- 
portunity to express his views — if he has 
any. 

(Barns) If he hasn't any he'll be in 
line with previous speakers. 

(Stanley) If any one here present so 
far forgets himself as to speak without 
first being recognized by the chair, the 
chair will be under the disagreeable 
necessity of causing his ejectment. And 
now, again, I ask, sir, do you wish to 
make any remarks or present any res- 
olution. 

(Peck) No, sir, I was just — 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator, have I the 
floor? 

(Stanley) If you have nothing to say, 
sir^ 

(Peck) Oh, I have, Mas,ter Stanley, 
I've much to say. 

(Stanley) You have the floor, sir, 
(pause) You have the floor, sir. What 
is it you wish to say, sir? 

(Peck) I vum to goodness if I hain't 
forgot. (Sits down) 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator, have I the 
floor? 

(Barns) (aside) Oh, take the floor 
and everything on it. 

(Ro.vce) Mr. Moderator, am I .to be 
tyrannized over this way, any longer? 

(Stanley) I believe, sir, you are en- 
titled to be heard next. 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator, does that 
mean that I have not the floor ? 

(Stanley) It means that .this gentle- 
man is entitled to be heard (Prindle sits 
down) 

(Royce) When in the course of 
human events — When in the course of 
human events — when in ,the course of 
human — What are we here for? What 
are we — Why — What for? Ain't it be- 
cause we is free American citizens? 
Aint it because the American ,eagle, the 
greatest bird of — the greatest bird of — 
of pre\ — is the United States of Amer- 
ica. I repeat, the United States of 
America. Because that there bird is 
alooking down on us free American 
citizens and because we have threw the 
tyrant's yoke ofif of us — When the bul- 
lets was flyin' thickest where was the 
men of Meriden? When we caught the 
British lion by the tail and twisted it 
till he could neither lay nor set — 



(Barns aside) He'd ought to tried 
roostin'. 

(Royce) — Twisted it till he gave up 
his sword and surrendered — I say 
where was we — that is, them of us as 
was born then and old enough — where 
was we? Ah! fightin' for our liberty!! 
That's why I say I would give my life 
for my town ! I tell you that when 
I think of what we endured — them of 
us that was old enough — what we en- 
dured — endured. In the words of 
Patterick Henxy — Patterick Henry. I 
say, in ,the words of Patterick Hen — 
in them words you all know so well 
and which I won't bother to repeat. I 
say, in them words. That's what I 




ROSWhLL B. HYATT. 

would have said in the same place. 
When we went out to fight the red 
coats — that is, I would have went if I'd 
been old enough — when we went out to 
fight the redcoats — what was it that in- 
spired us? Was it gold? No, Was it 
silver? No. Was it wealth? No. Was 
it liberty? No — yes, I mean. What is 
it now? Ditto. To-day we are free- 
Yesterday we was under the graspin' 
heel of Wallingford. To-day we're un- 
der our own. Yes, Mr. Moderator, I 
repeat the declaration and I do not 



296 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



believe there is a man, woman or child 
in this mcctin' house who has arrived 
at the age of thirty years and upwards 
but has felt the truth thundering through 
their brains for centuries. What is lib- 
erty. Aain't it worth havin'? Of course 
it is and I hurl defiance in the teeth of 
Wallingford. Let her face it if she can. 

(Hough) Before proceeding further 
I would suggest the election of the of- 
ficers necessary to the conduct of this 
town. 

(Stanley) I think Dr. Hough's sug- 
gestion is eminently proper. 

(Barns) Mr. Moderator. 

(Stanley) Master Barns. 




DR. G. A. HILL. 

(Bams) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 
that Dr. Hough be elected to every of- 
fice, so's he can be the whole tarnal 
shootin' match and done with it. 

(Stanley) Master Barns, your words 
are entirely out of order. Shall we 
proceed to the election of ofificers? If 
there is no objection, we will do so. 

(Griswold) I move you, Mr. Modera- 
tor, that Amos White be elected town 
clerk. 

(Barns) Mr. Moderator, I would 
second that motion — if agreeable to 
Dr. Hough. (Stanley pauses and glares) 



(Stanley) The motion is made and 
seconded that Amos White be elected 
town clerk. All those in favor of — 

(.All) Aye. 

(Barns) If agreeable to Dr. Hough. 

(Stanley) Those opposed. It is a 
vote and Amos White is elected town 
clerk. It is necessary that you elect 
three selectmen. 

(Griswold) I propose the name of 
Capt. Ezekiel Rice. 

(Preston) I second it. 

(Ripley) I would name as another 
of the .three, Ambrose Hough. 

(Barns) Good! Get a Hough on. This 
one don't run a tavern but he owns a 
gin mill. 

(Stanley) Master Barns, if you dis- 
turb the meeting but once more, I shall 
take steps to have you ejected from the 
meeting. 

(Barns) Better wait till you elect 
constables. 

(Preston) I second Parson Ripley's 
motion. 

(Griswold) I would name Stephen 
Bailey as the third selectman. 

(Dr. Hough) 1 second that motion. 

(Stanley) Capt. Ezekiel Rice, Am- 
brose Hough and Stephen Bailey are 
named for selectmen of the town of 
Meriden. All those in favor of these 
.three gentlemen. 

(All) Aye. 

(Stanley) It is a vote. We will now 
proceed to elect two constables. 

(Griswold) I would name Jared Ben- 
ham and Eli Barnes. 

(Stanley) Barnes? 

(Griswold) Eli Barnes, sir, not Moses 
Barns. 

(Dr. Hough) I second the motion. 

(Stanley) All those in favor of Jared 
Benham and Eli Barnes for constables 
say ave. 

(All) Aye. 

(Barns) If agreeable to Dr. Hough. 

(Griswold) I move you, Mr. Modera- 
tor, that Moses Barns be not allowed to 
vote in this meeting. 

(Preston) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) You have heard the mo- 
tion — 

(All )Aye! 

(Stanley) It is a vote. 

(Barns) I protest. I— I— Mr. Modera- 
tor, what are our liberties? Where are 
our rights? Can they be voted away in 
this here manner? For what did we suf- 
fer seven long years of war — endure 
wounds — 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEX, 



297 



( Prcsioii ) I'll wager you never smelt 
powder smoke. 

( Barns) Where, where — -I say where — 

(Preston) Where? You're in Meriden. 
Did you think you was still in Cheshire? 

(Barns) — I protest — I tell you — 

(Stanley) Constables, do your duty. 

(Barns) Til be quiet (drops into 
seat) 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator — 

(Stanley) Master Prindle. 

(Prindle) Have I the floor? 

(Stanley) You have, sir. 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator (bows) 
and feller citizens (bows). All men are 
born free and equal, but most of us 
outgrow it. Them of us as has lived 
here all our lives know that. Them 
that comes from other places — like 
Cheshire — has to learn it. Now — - 

(Ripley) Mr. Moderator, I object. 
We are engaged in electing town offi- 
cers. The speaker should confine him- 
self to the subject. He is out of order. 
(Prindle pauses) 

(Prindle) If I was so unlucky us to 
have a durn stupid son, I certainly would 
make him a parson. 

(Ripley) 'Tis a pity your father did 
not think as you do. 

(Stanley) The gentleman will confine 
himself to the matter under discussion 
— the election of town officers. 

(Prindle bows) 

(Prindle) Regarding these officers, 
Mr. Moderator, I wish to say that I 
don't pretend to be no orator. I aint 
goin' to make a speech. There be 
them that think that all they got to 
do is to stand up and draw the cork 
and the English language will run hU 
of 'em. I ain't of that kind, Mr. Mod- 
erator. I know I have my faults ani 
some of 'em I've got bad, but just be- 
cause I can't talk aboat birds of prey 
and lions with knots in their tails I 
aint agoin to hide what talents I have 
got under a bushel. I may be modest, 
but I aint goin' to be too durned modest. 
What I believe I believe and I'm a 
goin' to say so even if I know I'm 
wrong. I admire a man that'll stick 
.to his own opinion just cause it is hisen. 
(Griswold) Mr. Moderator, I protest. 
(Prindle) And just so regardin' these 
town officers. They may know they 
ain't fit to be town officers — 

(Griswold) Mr. Moderator, I protest. 

(PVindle) Of course they are fit, but 

even if they know they ain'.t. Same 

way as that feller from York state that 



stopped here a few weeks ago- He told 
me of a man named FuLton up in his 
state that was making a boat to go by 
hot water instead of sails — a steamboat 
he calls it. Now it stands to reason 
that there boat'll never go and that that 
feller Fulton probal)ly knows 'twont. by 
now- But he's stickin 'to the idee just 
the same. Now I don't believe in this 
here kine pox and I bet some of the 
doctors don't. But I never knew a doc- 
tor who'd own up he'd made a mistake 
and he'd pump you full of sick cow be- 
fore he'd sav he was wrong. 




FRANK L. HLRLEIGH. 

(Griswold) Mr. Moderator. 

(Prindle) And just so regarding town 
officers. They — 

(Stanley) You are going to confine 
yourself to the matter under discussion, 
the election of town officers, are j^ou 
not. Master Prindle? 

(Prindle) Yes, Mr. Moderator, I cer- 
tainly, shall do so, I know what I'tn 
adoin ! I aint like Sam Yale's boy- Sam 
told the boy to sharpen up his tools 
while Sam was away. Bimeby he come 
back. "Have you sharpened them tools?" 
he says. "Yes," says .the boy, "all but 
the saw. I couldn't quite get all the 



298 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



gaps out of that." Not but what Sam 
Yale— 

(Griswold) Mr. Moderator, I rise to 
a point of order. The speaker is not 
confining himself to the question under 
discussion. 

(Stanley) The gentleman will con- 
fine himself to the matter under discus- 
sion. 

(Prindle) Thank you, Mr. Moderator, 
and you, sir, for reminding me. I am 
sometimes forgetful. Like Captain 
Ezekiel Rice, I'm absent-minded. As 
you all know, the captain's so absent 
minded that once when he fell into 
Black Pond he sunk twice before he re- 
membered he could swim. But regard- 
ing these officers, I hate to criticize, 
for of all the 5,300,000 inhabitants of 
the United States the most important 
is the man who has just been elected 
to town office. You kin laugh, but it's 
so. You'd feel as big as the rest of 
'em if you was elected. It all depends 
on— 

(All) Sit down! Sit down! 

(Prindle) I'll sit down when I get 
through talkin'. 
' (Stanley) Master Prindle, we still 
have a number of officers to elect, and, 
as you refuse to confine yourself to the 
matter in hand, I shall ask you to sit 
down. 

(Prindle) Certainly. I've said what 
I wanted to say. (Sits down) 

(Stanley) We will proceed to the 
election of grand jurors. 

(Preston) I would propose the name 
of Enos Hall, 2nd, Giles O. Griswold 
and Joseph Hall. 

(Stanley) All those in favor of Enos 
Hall, 2nd, Giles O. Griswold and Jo- 
seph Hall for grand jurors, say aye. 

(All) Aye. 

( ) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 

that Samuel Yale, Asahel Yale, Teh\i 
Preston, Harvey Andrews, Aaron Mer- 
riam, Benjamin Merriam, 2nd, and Levi 
Hall be surveyors of highways for this 
town. 

[The following motions by various 
electors.] 

( ) I second the motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 

( ) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 

that Nathaniel Yale, Stephen Perkins 
and Ensign Hough be chosen fence 
viewers. 

( ) I second the motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 



( ) I move 3-ou, Air. Moderator 

that Seth D. Plum, Titus Ives and Asa- 
hel Merriam be chosen listers for this 
town. 

( ) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 

( ) I nv/ve you, Mr. Moderator, 

that Captain William Olds be chosen 
sealer of leather. 

(Prindle) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 

( ) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 

that Samuel Yale be chosen sealer of 
weights and measures. 

( ) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 

( ) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 

that Daniel Yale be chosen sealer of 
dry measures. 

( ) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 

( ) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 

that Eli Barnes, Nathaniel Yale, Levi 
Foster, Israel Hall and Elisha Merriam 
be chosen pound keepers. 

( ) I second that motion. 

(Stanley) (carried) 

(Hough) I move you, Mr. Moderator, 
that the keepers of pounds provide 
their pounds free of expense to the 
town. 

Seconded, etc. (carried) 

(Griswold) I move you, Mr. Moder- 
ator that a tax be laid for the purpose 
of defraying the debts and expenses to 
which his own now is or may be liable. 

(carried) 

(Dr. Hough) I move you, Mr. Mod- 
erator that a tax of five mills on the 
dollar on the list for August 20th, 1805, 
be granted and collecter for the pur- 
pose of defraying the debts and ex- 
penses to which the town is or may be 
liable and that the same be collected 
and paid to the town treasurer within 
thirty days. 

(Prindle) Mr. Moderator. 

(Stanley) Master Prindle. 

(Prindle) Did I understand the gen- 
tleman to say five mills? 

(Stanley) You did- 

(Prindle) It strikes me, Mr. Moder- 
ator, that five mills is pooty steep. Some 
that's here no doubt could pay five 
mills. 

(Barns) Selectman Ambrose Hough 
has two mills — a grist mill and a gin 
mill. He could — 

(Stanley) Constables, if this man sees 
fit to make himself objectionable once 
more you will eject him. 



299 



(Prindle) Doesn't i.t strike you your- 
self, Mr. Moderator, that five mills is 
pooty steep ? 

(Stanley) That is a question for the 
electors of this town to determine. 

(Royce) Five mills I What is five mills 
when you put it over agin patriotism? 
What is five — nay, ten mills — 

(Griswold) Very little, I dare say, if 
you don't happen to own any taxable 
property. 

(Royce) I should think exactly the 
same if I owned as much taxable prop- 
erty as the gentleman who has just 
passed .that slurring remark. 

(Griswold) I have no doubt that the 
gentleman honesth^ believes he would, 
but there is nothing like the possession 
of money to change one's point of view. 
Now, as to this question of a tax of 
five mills. Five mills on the dollar 
appears to me to be extravagance. What 
could we use the money for? 

(Dr. Hough) If .the gentleman will 
stop to think, he will call to mind a 
number of ways in which the money 
might be expended without incurring 
the charge of extravagance. 

(Prindle) Perhaps .the doctor would 
have us drain Pilgrims' Harbor Swamp. 
(Dr. Hough) What I should like to 
see done would be the closing of the 
old road over Meeting House Hill and 
the building of a new one — 

(Deacon Mitchell) Hey! What's that? 
What's the matter with the present 
road, Fd like to know? Aint it conven- 
ient? 

(Prindle) It's the most convenient 
road to Deacon Mitchell's .tan yard. 
Was you thinking of that, Deacon? 

(Mitchell) I wasn't naturally forget- 
tin' i.t entirely. 

(Dr. Hough) The abandonment of 
the old road might work harm to an 
individual, but I believe it would be 
better for the community to close the 
old road. 

(Mitchell) No doubt you'd sit still 
and see the turnpike laid out a mile or 
two away from your tavern if it was 
for the good of the community. 

(Stanley; Gentlemen, we are not dis- 
cussing roads but taxes. Dr. Hough has 
made a motion to .the effect that a tax 
of five mills on the dollar be laid. 
(Ripley) I second that motion. 
(Stanley) All those in favor (etc) 
(passed) 

(Preston) I move you .that Abner 



Griswold be elected collector to collect 
the tax laid this day. 

(Hough seconding) (Carried) 

(Preston) I move that Samuel Yale 
be chosen town treasurer. (Seconded 
and passed) 

(Griswold) Mr. Moderator, I move 
you that a committee of four persons 
be appointed to settle and adjust all 
business between this town and the 
town of Wallingford respecting the 
town poor and all other business that 
shall be found necessary for said com- 
mittee to do. 

(Preston seconds and passed) 




REV. A. W. SHAW. 



(Griswold) 1 would propose as mem- 
bers of that committee our .three se- 
lectmen, Captain Ezekiel Rice, Am- 
brose Hough and Stephen Bailey, and 
also Eli Barnes. (Preston seconds. 
Passed) 

(Peck) Say! 

(Stanley) Master Peck? 

(Peck) I jus.t thought of it. 

(Stanley) Thought of what, Master 
Peck. 

(Peck) Whv, what I was goin' to say. 

(Stanley) Well? 



300 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



(Peck) What I was just goin' to say 
was that we ought to make a law keep- 
in' them blame geese off the road, (sits 
down) (laughter) 

(Griswold) Master Peck has the right 
idea, if expressed in terms not alto- 
gether parliamentary and I think he 
will find that the following resolutions 
cover the matter, (reads) 

"Voted : That no horse, kine or neat 
cattle shall be allowed to run at large 
on the highway or commons of the 
Town. 

"That sheep shall not be allowed to 
run at large on the Commons in this 
Town. 




WILLIS J. PROUTY. 

"That if the owner of any boar shall 
suffer him to run at large when more 
than three months old, he shall be lia- 
ble to pay a fine of one dollar. 

"That geese shall not be suffered to 
run at large on the highway unless they 
are well j^oaked." 

(Stanley) Is there any other busi- 
ness .to come before this meeting? 

(Mitchell) Mr. Moderator. 

(Stanley) Master Mitchell. 

(Mitchell) I move you, Mr. Moderator 
that the bill in form granted by the 



General Assembly for incorporating 
Meriden into a Town distinct from the 
Town of Wallingford, be recorded m the 
beginning of the Town Book for i!-- 
cording deeds of land, etc. 

(Seconded, etc., and passed) 

(Griswold proposes "That the select- 
men of this town be allowed to give and 
take deeds in behalf of this town at their 
discretion") (Passed) 

(Preston) "That the selectmen shall 
warn a town meeting to be holden at 
the meeting house in Merideii on the 
second Tuesday of November next." 
(Passed) 

(Preston) I move we adjourn. 

(Royce) I second .that motion. 

(general movement to leave") 

(Hough) Gentlemen, one moment. 
What we have done to-day has made 
history. We have been present at the 
birth of a town — our town. Our first 
town meeting is now a .thing of the 
past. For good or for ill we have sev- 
ered the ties that for many years have 
bound us to our mother .town. Some 
of us have realized the miportance of 
what we have done to-day; others have 
been imbued with a spirit of frivolity. 
Throughout the proceedings we have 
worn our hats, as we had the right to 
do. But now I ask you to remove your 
hats while Pastor Ripley asks guidance 
from above, (all remove hats and 
stand) 

(Ripley) Throughout the years, O, 
God, be with us and our descendants. 
Guide us and them. May our children 
and our children's children find cause 
for pride in that they be of Meriden. 

The "First Town Meeting," which 
was reproduced, is printed in full 
as above. The town records fur- 
nished the skeleton for the play, con- 
taining as they did the votes passed and 
the officers elected. Every vote "passed" 
in ,the play was actually passed loo 
years ago and every officer "elected" 
to-day was elected June i6, 1806. 
Some of these votes might have been 
omitted — speaking merely from a dra- 
matic standpoint — but Sherman F. John- 
son, the author, believed in making the 
play as genuine a reproduction of the 
original meeting as the scanty material 
at hand would allow. 

All the speeches, dialogue and the dis- 
cussion of various motions that are not 
actually passed are imaginary. Some 
of the questions that arose, such as 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



301 



the objection to meeting in the Con- 
gregational church, etc., really came up 
at later meetings. 

Before writing the play Mr. Johnson 
studied Dr. Davis' and Perkins' histo- 
ries, Mrs. Breckenridge's (Faith's) 
"Recollections of a New England 



Town," and received many suggestions 
from George M. Curtis, whose history 
of Meriden has just been published. 

All the characters in the play with 
the exception of Herodotus Peck, Ab- 
salom Royce and Hezekiah Prindle, 
are historical. 



HISTORICAL ADDIRESSES 



Following is the introductory ad- 
dress given by George M. Curtis at 
the Historical exercises on Saturday 
afternoon at the First Congregation- 
al church: 

I think it was the poet Coleridge 
who said that he once met a man 
who was so inspired by a belief in 
his own importance, that he always 
took off his hat with profound re- 
spect when he ventured to speak of 
himself- 

This eccentricity of temperament 
is very much akin to the periodic at- 
tacks to which most of our modern 
American communities are subject. 
They all sooner or later arrive at a 
year when it seems appropriate that 
hats should be removed with pro- 
found respect while in terms of 
glowing color the deeds of the past 
are pictured and municipal self glori- 
fication is the order of the day. 

To me it seems admirable that a 
people should peruse now and then 
in this busy rush and in prose and 
poetry relate the work that has been 
done, record the virtues of the fath- 
ers, point with pride to the past and 
look to the future witn confidence. 
It is inspiring and it is ennobling. 

At last the day has come when 
Meriden has arrived at a mile stone 
in her career, when she, too, can look 
to the past and point with pride to 
the work that has been done, relate 
the virtues of the pioneers, and with 
courage gird her loins for the work 
that is to come. 

With joy and mirth we have spent 
the week in glad abstraction, with 
old friends, and found new ones, and 
now this afternoon and evening we 
are to listen to the tales of fathers 
and thus our Centennial celebration 
will be an event of the past. 



Compared with the age of some of 
our neighbors, Meriden's 100 years 
of municipal existence is a very mod- 
erate period of time. And yet when 
one pictures the events that have oc- 
curred during this century, June 16, 
1806, seems very remote 

On the day when the tiny hamlet 
first came together in town meeting 
assembled, Thomas Jefferson was 
President of the United States, 
George uie III. was still king of Eng- 
land, Napoleon the Great, was ruling 
in France, no steam railroad was in 
existence, modern necessities were 
unheard of and there had been little 
change in the manner of living since 
the days of the pioneers. Measured 
by events the gap is tremendous. 

Before I conclude these introduct- 
ory remarks, I must refer to an event 
that has filled with sadness tae 
whole community, and has been par- 
ticularly felt by the members of the 
General Centennial committee. I 
allude to the death of Judge Wilbur 
F. Davis, who left us just before the 
opening of our gala week. 

Indefatigable in his work on the 
committee, wise in council, truthful 
and resourceful in emergencies, a 
large part of our Centennial work 
we owe to the labors of that good 
citizen, able lawyer and honest man. 



BY HON. SIMEON E. BALDWIN. 

Judge Simeon E. Baldwin address- 
ed the assemblage as a representa- 
tive of the American Historical asso- 
ciation and of the New Haven Col- 
ony Historical society. His address 
was as follows: 

T have the honor of appearing be- 
fore vou this afternoon in a double 



302 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



■capacity. I come to bring the good 
wishes and congratulations both oi 
the National society, which exists 
for the promotion of historical in- 
vestigation and of the local society 
formed for similar purposes in its 
own field — and that field the one of 
which Meriden forms a part. 

In behalf of the American Histor- 
ical ass Delation there is a special rea- 
son for its representation here, for 
Meriden has the honor of having 
been the theme of one of the earliest 
town histories that deserve the name 
published in the United States. 




HON. SIMEON E. BALDWIN. 

The little History of Meriden, pub- 
lished more than half a century ago 
by the pastor of your old first church, 
now housed in this splendid edifice. 
Rev. George W. Perkins (afterwards 
pastor of the First Congregational 
church of Chicago), was a piece of 
good work, conscientiously and 
thoroughly done. It was the result 
of first-hand investigations and in- 
quiries personally made. It has pre- 
served traditions and memories that 
else long since might have vanisted 
away. 



If in every state of the Union, tl ere 
had been more men like your first 
historian, the labors of the American 
Historical association would be far 
lighter to-day. 

As a delegate from the New Ha- 
ven Colony Historical society, I come 
from an organization to which some 
citizens of Meriden belong, and which 
tiikes a peculiar interest in this place 
as one of the six cities that have 
sprung out of the ancient Colony of 
New Haven. 

Here we stand on soil that was 
bought in 1638 by Theophilous Bat- 
on and his company of settlers at 
Quinnipiack. If New Haven colony 
has disappeared. New Haven county 
remains and the cities of New Ha- 
ven and Meriden and Waterbury are 
alike proud to be members of that 
great political community. The state 
of Connecticut, which 200 years ago, 
under the compelling force of a roy- 
al charter, swallowed up the little 
colony of New Haven, bears upon her 
seal the three vines which stand for 
her first three towns, Hartford, 
Windsor and Wethersfield. This 
county of New Haven, successor to 
the colony of New Haven, or most 
of it, has her three vines in New Ha- 
ven, Waterbury and Meriden. There 
are few counties in the United States 
and I doubt if there are any which 
can boast of the presence of three 
such cities. The whole population 
of Hawaii is less than that of New 
Haven county. Our population in 
1900 was about 270,000; greater 
than that of New London, Windham, 
Litchfield, Middlesex and Tolland put 
together: greater also than either of 
seven states of the American Union, 
(Delaware, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, 
North Dakota, Utah or Wyoming) 
and of three of these put together; 
greater — to look farther off — than 
four of the states of the German Em- 
pire put together. To-day our peo- 
ple probably number 3 00,000. 

And what is it that has brought 
these great masses of people to- 
gether on so small a territory? It 
is their intelligence — the intelligence 
first that shows itselr in the work 
shop, and second that shows itself 
in the school and university. 

Connecticut was once an agricul- 
tural state. It was here that Wash- 
ington looked for the supplies that 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



303 



fed his army in Massachusetts and 
in New York. 

She cannot now feed her own peo- 
ple. At least she does not. She 
knows better. She lets the far west 
feed them, because her people can do 
something better with their hands 
and brains. 

The people of Connecticut can take 
a spot of earth like this, rough hills, 
far from the sea, with no streams to 
furnish any considerable power, and 
by their inventive faculty, their 
quick eye and ready hand, their wise 
economy, their watch of markets and 
creation of markets, turn it into a 
city, whose products go into every 
continent. I have heard of a 
Connecticut man who was traveling 
in Europe and went to the great fair 
in Northern Russia. He found a bit 
of silverware so curiously and beau- 
tifully finished that it took his fancy. 
He bought it, and on his return was 
showing it to a friend as a proof of 
Russian taste and skill, when he was 
told that it was made in Meriden, 
and shown the mark that proved it. 

Connecticut factories flourish, not 
because they are near the coal fields; 
not because they are near the mines, 
fields or forests whence comes their 
raw material; but because labor is 
nowhere more intelligent, and capital 
nowhere more loyal to the place 
where it was accumulated. 

I was talking recently to a large 
manufacturer, of the future of Con- 
necticut. It is of little consequence, 
he said, to a manufacturer whether 
he has water power or coal supply. 
He must be near intelligent labor. 
Intelligent labor is hard to move. 

It has its roots in local patriotism. 

Local patriotism! Here is, after 
all, the main secret of Meriden's pros- 
perity. These great factories are 
here because their owners or their 
fathers have made their money here 
and wish to keep it here; because 
their best workmen have been born 
and bred here, and feel identified 
with the city of their home. 

Days like this keep such feelings 
warm. Sentiment is the king that 
rules the action of mankind, and no- 
where else has it a better foundation 
of every day, practical intelligence 
and sound common sense. 

The American Historical associa- 
tion and the New Haven Colony His- 
torical society join with all sincerity 



their congratulations with yours to 
meet the Silver city as she enters on 
her second century. Its close will 
find her far greater in population. 
Let us ask no more than that it will 
find her as great in the public spirit 
and wise forecast of the leaders in 
her civil life; in the intelligent, sober, 
industrious, enlightened men and 
women who constitute the mass of 
her inhabitants. The best henl,Mg3 
of Connecticut, here and everywii'^re, 
as it is lianded down from gener- 
ation to generation, is the character 
of her people. 



BY GEORGE MUNSON CURTIS. 

One of the most important papers of 
all the interesting documents that were 
prepared for the centennial was the 
address which George M. Curtis gave 
at the historical exercises in the First 
Congregational church Saturday after- 
noon. It was rich in valuable his- 
torical information that had been 
gleaned by careful research, and this 
information will become more valu- 
able as time goes by. The address is 
given in full, as follows: 

Although we are gathered here to- 
day to celebrate the centennial of the 
incorporation of Meriden as a town, 
and to pay homage to those hard- 
working men and women who, by 
their labors and genius changed fhe 
tiny hamlet of an hundred years ago 
into the busy, bustling city of to-day, 
we must not forget that in 1806 Meri- 
den had had a past of quite respectable 
antiquity, and was no puny infant, 
barely able to go alone. 

It was a very quiet and very hum- 
ble past, for those hard-headed. God- 
fearing men who cleared the forests 
and first broke the virgin soil under 
the plough were but farmers of that 
good old yeoman stock which came to 
this country, not for gain, but seeking 
to live a plain, honest life, content to 
get a fair return from the land, and 
die in peace with God and man; and 
yet. perhaps they were as happy in 
their day and generation as their more 
ambitious descendants who now walk 
the stage of life. 

Picture a stretch of forest, swamp and 
tangled brush, bounded east and west 
by great basaltic cliffs, or mountains, 
lifting their rugged summits in paral- 
lel ranges; a territory where the wild- 



304 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



r-at snarls, and the panther prowls 
and lies in wait for the browsing deer, 
where the wolf barks and howls, and 
the industrious beaver blocks the 
streams with his ingenious dams, while 
now and then the Indian comes to 
hunt and trap, with never a thought of 
pale-faced intruder to say him nay! 

Such was the Meriden of 1661,' for 
both by credible tradition and written 
record, all this land was reserved as 
the happy hunting ground of the red 
man. 

Through the valley, between the lof- 
ty hills, ran a slender thread from 
north to south, called by courtesy a 
road, which the Indian had used from 
time immemorial as a trail from the 
Tunxis valley, or the more distant Po- 
dunk. in his journeyings to the wa- 
ters of the sound. 

This path, now broadened, straight- 
ened, and beaten by the tide of mod- 
ern life, we call Colony street. 

Over it the early colonist was wont 
to travel, with scarcely a break to the 
lonesomeness of the way, from Hart- 
ford to New Haven, until in 1662 
Jonathan Gilbert of Hartford, built an 
inn on a farm granted him the year 
before, in the northern part of this 
wild and savage woodland. 

No doubt those who were compelled 
to use the Indian trail beheld, with a 
sigh of satisfaction, this place of en- 
tertainment, or "ordinary for relieving 
of travellers according to their needs," 
as the records quaintly call it. for the 
way was long, and the dangers many, 
as we learn by letters of those far-off 
days, and Jonathan Gilbert was a man 
of influence and substance, whose fame 
as tavern keeper was established on 
no fragile basis by the inn he main- 
tained in Hartford. This farm seems, 
almost immediately, to have acquired 
the name of Meriden, or Merideen, and 
on it he placed in charge as tenant. 
Edward Higbee, a wandering, restless 
man, but evidently one who knew al- 
ready the art of tavern keeping. 

The situation must have been a 
weird and lonesome one in those days, 
surrounded as it was on all sides by 
the trackless forest, while in the east 
loomed the great, age torn, sombre 
front of Mt. Lamentation, over the 
rocky flanks of which some thirty 
years before. Leonard Chester had 
wandered for three days and nights, 



in the vain attempt to find the trail to- 
Pyquag. which he had lost. Wonder- 
ful tales were told of the terrible 
beasts that he had seen and heard 
while wandering in these forests, but 
the only fear that haunted the dwel- 
lers on the lonesome farm was that of 
Indians, for it was but an outpost on 
the frontiers of the .scattered settle- 
ments, and it was doubtless in the 
early days of King Philip's war, when 
one knew not how soon the hurricane 
that was raging in Massachusetts 
might sweep into this colony, that the 
old stone house, or fort, was built close 
beside the inn, with portholes whence 
one inside could shoot with deadly 
aim, and a door so filled with spikes 
that a bullet could not be driven 
through, while behind was a subter- 
ranean chamber, called a powder 
magazine, the remains of which could 
still be seen till seventy years ago. 

The inn grew to be a famous place 
and many an interesting tale must 
have been told around its hospitable 
hearth, of witches and goblins, and 
hair-breadth escapes from the savage 
red man. Nothing now is left but a 
name and a few facts gleaned from 
musty records; and those old days 
have gone, leaving scarcely a memory, 
and so utterly are they forgotten that 
the few facts we can save from obliv- 
ion, merely sketch, like a wisp of mist,, 
events we would fain see more clear- 
ly. 

Succeeding owners added renown, 
both to farm and inn. After Gilbert 
came his son-in-law, Captain Andrew 
Belcher, of Boston, called the most op- 
pulent merchant of New England, in 
his time, and headstrong in his strife 
for gain, who dared defy even the se- 
lectmen of Boston, and had been ac- 
cused of trading with a "pyrate for 
elephants' teeth." He spent money on 
and dignified the farm, and called it 
"my manor of Meriden;" but al- 
though the estate had his care and at- 
tention, a man of his widely extended 
business ventures can never have call- 
ed it home. 

Succeeding him came his son Jon- 
athan, a man of pomp and show, and 
yet picturesque in his vanity and lord- 
ly pride, who was for a time royal 
governor of Massachusetts, and later 
of New Jersey. He may have spent 
some time on the manor in his early 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDRN. 



305 



days, for it is certain that his linowl- 
edge of men and affairs in this colo- 
ny was large; and on the sides of the 
mountains around the farm are to be 
seen signs of prospecting for metal, 
which later he thought he had found 
in paying quantities in Wallingford 
and Granby, and where he poured out 
large sums of the pounds, shillings, 
and pence that the harder headed 
Captain Andrew had heaped together. 

Governor Belcher, during his own- 
ership, spent much money on the 
farm, and evidently tried to make it 
an attractive manor. The pond which 
now spreads over seventy-five acres 
of the northern half of its meadows, 
due to the dam built by a Hartford 
Ice company some twenty years ago, 
had a predecessor, for the governor, 
during the days of his pride in the es- 
tate, erected a bank of earth seventy 
yards north of the present one, and 
the remains of the old dam, shaded by 
stately oaks and hickories, are very 
easily traced to-day. 

In 1742, the western half of the 
farm, which contained the inn, was 
sold to John Yale and Jedediah Nor- 
ton, and the eastern part was deeded 
to another set of men at the same 
time; and yet the farm is frequently 
called by the name of "Belcher" to 
this day. 

There are many who believe the 
name of Meriden, first borne only by 
this farm, was given because the inn 
was the scene of so many jovial mer- 
rymakings of belated travelers and 
those compelled to spend the night 
that it acquired the name of "Merry 
den," hence "Meriden." Those who 
have persuaded themselves that such 
was the origin of the name seem un- 
able to appreciate the absurdity of the 
theory, when told that it occurs as 
"Merideen" in an official document 
within two years after the inn was es- 
tablished, in days when the sternness 
of character of the early Puritan had 
not been lost, and the code of laws 
then in force declared that "no person 
licensed for Common Interteinment 
shall suffer any to be drunken or 
drink excessively viz. above halfe a 
pinte of wyne for one person at one 
time, * * * * or after nine of 



the clock at night." However, like the 
brook, the story will go on forever, 
and of late years it has become the 
fashion to transfer the place of origin 
of the name from the farm at the ex- 
treme north end of the town, estab- 
lished in 1662, to the Hough or Central 
tavern, set up in 1792 in the center of 
the parish. 

Ii>6tead of believing that the origin 
was due to bar room carousing, those 
who love the town should be ready to 
credit the evident fact that, like near- 
ly all the names of towns and vil- 
lages in early New England, Meri- 
den is an old English place name, 
which occurs in several localities in 
the mother country of the colonists, 
and the speaker loves to believe that 
the early meaning of the word was 
pleasant valley, a definition vouched 
for by one of the most eminent of the 
students of early English. 

In 1670, came the founding and set- 
tling of Wallingford, a purely New 
Haven movement, and doubtless for 
that reason limited on the north by a 
line which the colony of Connecticut 
had drawn in 1660 as the southern 
extent of her territory, when the sis- 
ter government of New Haven had 
tried to extend her domains to corre- 
spond with what she deemed her just 
rights under a purchase made in 1645, 
of that Indian sachem who bore the 
euphonious name of "Montowese." 

Let one in fancy extend Liberty 
street east and west across the town- 
ship of Meriden, and this boundary 
line is then defined. North of it, un- 
til 1728, was in Hartford county. 

Wallingford, not satisfied by this 
forced limitation, saw no remedy ex- 
cept to bide the opportunity, which 
time finally brought around. And now 
that the laying out of the village of 
W^allingford on that historic old 
street which crowns the gentle slope 
east of the Quinnipiac river plain was 
an accomplished fact, these land- 
hungry Englishmen, at first attracted 
by those fertile tracts which after- 
wards became the parish of New 
Cheshire, began also to explore north- 
ward, among those hills and vales 
which nature has made so fair of feat- 
ure, if possibly not so rich of soil; but 



20 



3o6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



perhaps the fertility was abounding 
when these men first made their ad- 
vent, for they soon began, with ap- 
parent eagerness, to take their allot- 
ments of land in what is now the 
southeastern part of Merideu, which 
they dubbed "Dog's Misery," because 
of a swamp tangled with bog brier 
and brush in the central part, where 
game found refuge in times of 
stress. 

In the light of our modern ideas, it 
was a shame to foul so lovely a land- 
scape with so ugly a name; but, not 
stopping to discuss questions of sen- 
timent, some of these men chose here 
their farms, while others were climb- 
ing the hills to the west, and locat- 
ing grants on the southern slants and 
sunset side of "Meeting House" hill, 
and laying out farms on the slopes 
running down to where Pilgrims' 
Harbor brook wound its way through 
banks covered with brush and reeds 
and waving flags in its crooked course 
to the Quinnipiac river. 

Others were staking their claims on 
the hills down which Gypsy lane now 
runs, and in Milking Yard, or Rice's 
Farms, as it was later called, a coun- 
try of which the dominating center 
is Walnut Grove cemetery, rolling in 
gentle slopes that open here and there 
with glimpses of further hills and 
dales. Others still, were venturing 
northward, towards the forbidden col- 
ony land, and choosing grants as 
closely to it as they dared, while 
some were climbing the uplands west- 
ward into the country shadowed by 
the frowning Hanging Hills. 

Thirty years from the founding of 
Wallingford saw much of this land 
to the north cleared of forests and 
divided into farms, and a few houses 
built; and by 1725 a sprinkling of 
dwellings erected by the second gen- 
eration of the founders of the town, 
was scattered over the countrv which 
is now the southern half of Meriden. 
and the names of such families as 
Hall, Yale, Ives, Andrews, Rlc3, Cur- 
tis, Atwater, Whiting, Hough, 
Cowles, and Prindle had become at- 
tached to the soil in localities where 
with few exceptions, they have ever 
since remained. 

While this had been going on, 



great tracts in the land north of Lib- 
erty street, which had been denied 
to Wallingford and called country 
land because it belonged to the col- 
ony and not to a town, had been 
granted to magistrates of the ?-OveiTi- 
nient as a reward or pension for 
faithful service; but as the yeara 
went by, death, always busy, had 
caused these tracts to split into farms 
of smaller size, and men from other 
towns had drifted in to cast their lot 
in what was called Pilgrims' Harbor, 
the very center of this town to-day. 

John Merriam, with four stalwart 
sons, had come from Lynn, and built 
a house in what is now the junction 
of West Main and Colony streets, 
and his farm, which stretch(^d from 
Harbor brook, nearly a mile to the 
west, contained what is now the very 
heart of the commercial part of Mer- 
iden. 

Further up the road, where stands 
to-day the dwelling of E. .J. Doolir.tle, 
Captain Josiah Robinson, from Glou- 
cester, had built his house, that later 
became the great tavern of the par- 
ish, and his farm extended east nearly 
to Hobart street; and on it to-day 
are great shops and factories, of 
which the captain, in wildest flights 
of fancy, can Jiever have caught a 
glimpse. 

West of this was another great 
farm belonging to a second inan 
ii'om Gloucester, Bartholomew Fos- 
ter, whose lan^, extending west near- 
ly to Cat Hole pass, contained a 
liomestead standing on Colony street, 
just south of where Is'ensington ave- 
nue starts on its winding course 
through the beautiful glen, and lead- 
ing thence to New Britain. 

North of thi^ Robert and Jon- 
athan Collins, from Middletown, were 
clearing the lind and subduing Die 
forests of what for many years was 
called "the woo'is," while other 
i-racts of lesser note completed the 
distance to the great 'Ssicher, or Mer- 
iien farm in the n.>rtli. 

East of those described, were the 
farms belonging to Timothy Jerome, 
from England. Aaron L'nian, from 
Durham, and John Vay and James 
Scovill, from Middletown, lying along 
the roads wc now term Liberty and 
Wall streets. 

It seems to have been the fate of 
those in this vicinity, v ho bought 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



307 



land of the simple savage, that no 
sooner would one title be acquired 
than a second guileless Indian 
would present himself with his title 
to be extinguished, warranted to be 
the only genuine article, and of a 
much superior quality to that pur- 
chased of the first red skin. 

In this way, much of the land 
about Meriden was bought several 
different times. The consideration 
given was never very great; neither 
was the value of it to the savage any 
greater, for all he really sold was 
his right to fish and hunt over a ter- 
ritory in which no Indian village or 
settlement appears to have ever been 
located. 

By a shrewd act of diplomacy, 
AValiingford had, in 1684, bought the 
latest Indian right to all the land be- 
tween her northern boundary and the 
Belcher farm, and this appears to 
have been the final snuffing out of all 
aboriginal title in the soil, and for 
that reason, perhaps, the only gen- 
uine article after all. 

These various men from other 
towns who have been mentioned as 
owning farms in this so called "coun- 
try" land, before they were allowed 
to settle on their farms in undisturb- 
ed possession, were compelled to pay 
toll to Wallingford by purchasing al- 
so of her under the Indian title ac- 
quired in 1684. 

In 172 3, a quarrel arose between 
the town and men of Middletown and 
Wethersfield and the matter being 
brought to the attention of ihe col- 
onial court, that body tardily recog- 
nized Wallingford's rignts, and 
henceforth all this disputed territory, 
or "country" land, was added to her 
domain; but it was not until 1728 
that, regardless of the plaintive wail 
of the Belcher tenant at the dme, 
Meriden farm was added, and pj'ac- 
tically all of the land nov/ included 
in this town was set apart as a dis- 
tinct society, and christened under 
the name of Meriden Parish. 

And now comes the time which 
must always be considered one of the 
most interesting periods in the his- 
tory of this town, when on the west- 
ern slope of what had previously 
been called Deer Hill these farmers 
built, in 1727, a primitive little meet- 
ing house, and with evident thought - 
fulness they placed it near a cluster 
of stately oaks, which, when sum- 



mer's sun is high, cast a grateful 
shade around a bountiful and never 
failing spring, which gushes forth in- 
to a brook that dances and sings 
merrily in its course through the 
meadows to the south, while on the 
hill above they consecrated an acre 
for the burial of the dead; a lovely 
and a fitting place, for in the east, 
over the summit of another hill, rise 
the sombre crags of the Beset range 
while in the foreground to the south, 
roll the beautiful meadows, pastures 
and woodland of the old Yale farm, 
and in the distance point the spires 
of Wallingford, the town where so 
many of those who lie buried here, 
were born. It should be holy ground 
for those of Meriden birth, and I 
know of no place of burial where 
with more peculiar fitness one may 
quote those pathetic lines: 

"Each in his narrow cell forever laid, 
The rude forefathers of the hamlet 
sleep." 

No one has been placed here for his 
final rest since 1771. Once the cen- 
ter of the parish, time has played 
strange pranks, for now it is far from 
the haunts of men, and no one comes 
here, except the curious and those 
drawn by the desire to muse and be 
alone. 

As we wander through tne old grave- 
yard and pause to read the uncouth 
rhyme, under the rudely carved death's 
head on the frail memorial of one of 
these early pioneers, we are bidden 

"Behold and see as you pass by. 
As you are now so once was I 
As I am now so must you be, 
Prepare for death and follow me." 

It requires no more than these lines 
to let fancy trick us into believing that 
once more the walls of the humble lit- 
tle church are standing as of yore; that 
the narrow lane before us has swollen 
to its ancient width of a ten-rod high- 
way, and over it, from east and west, 
are coming the phantoms of men and 
women clothed in the garb of long 
ago, seated in saddle and pillion and 
borne by patient nags, as in the days 
when Parson Hall, coming from his 
home near at hand, welcomed them 
with stately salutation and led this 
company of grave, God fearing country 
folk into the little meeting-house, 
there to reverently stand while he led in 



i 



308 



CENTENNIAL OF AIERIDEN. 



prayer, and patiently to sit wliile he 
poured forth his spiritual meditations 
of the week before. 

Rev. Theophilus Hall, a scion of that 
sturdy stock which has eiven a num- 
ber of distinguished men to the coun- 
try, was engaged as pastor by this lit- 
tle flock, numbering just fifty-one 
church members, in 1728, and immed- 
iately began to minister to their needs. 
Slight of stature, as tradition tells us, 
he was strong mentally, and held his 
people with a vigorous hand. He was 
a man of fearless independence, and 
when the great theological controversy 



until it became too small to accommo- 
date the large families that these 
farmers were rearing, and then, in the 
face of great opposition, Mr. Hall in- 
duced the members of his church to 
build a new one, nearly on the site of 
the present Center church. The ar- 
gument advanced by the opponents of 
the plan was that the place was too 
far to the north, and too near to moun- 
tainous and waste land; but the strong 
man carried the day, and at the same 
time decided where the future village 
of Meriden was to lie, although it was 
many long years before there was even 




OM-ICE OF C. W. CAIIILL. 



arose in Wallingford, in 1758, which 
was really a battle between Congrega- 
tionalism and Presbyterianism in this 
colony, Parson Hall, in the face of 
much criticism from members of his 
flock, dared to side with Dr. Dana and 
invite him to his pulpit. The latter, 
in his century sermon preached in 1770, 
said of him: 

"A man of strong intellectual pow- 
ers, much esteemed as a preacher, and 
a zealous advocate for civil and relig- 
ious liberty." 

For twenty-five years, the little 
meeting house continued to be used, 



the beginning of one, so wedded were 
these farmers to their profession of 
tillers of the soil. 

Parson Hall died in 1767, and enough 
of his gravestone is left to tell us that 

"He discharged the duties of his 
function with distinguished fidelity and 
accomplished Christian life, the uni- 
form disciples of Jesus Christ." 

His successor, Rev. John Hubbard, of 
New Haven, although he had graduat- 
ed at Yale in 1744 and was licensed to 
preach in 1746, had gone into business 
in his native town and had no settled 
parish until he came to Meriden, in 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



309 



1767. A suspicion got abroad that his 
creed was not orthodox, and when he 
was named as the choice of the major- 
ity of the church members, precisely 
the same sort of a struggle as that 
which had hardly begun to cool in 
Wallingford, broke out in Meriden; af- 
ter a number of conferences, which set- 
tled nothing, the dissatisfied element, 
just as had happened in the older par- 
ish, withdrew, and formed a separate 
society which lasted several years. But 
nevertheless, John Hubbard stayed, 
and by his estimable character, win- 
ning manners, and forceful preaching 



the regicides, Whalley and Goffe, had 
found refuge in 1661 among the rushes 
and reeds that once covered the banks 
of the brook where it is crossed by 
Colony street in the center of Meriden. 
The place then bore the name of Pil- 
grims' Harbor. Mr. Stiles distinctly 
states in his diary that he could find 
no tradition of that sort here, and yet 
in his "History of Three of the 
Judges," published in 1794, we read: 

"There is a tradition of their making 
a lodgment at Pilgrims' Harbor, so 
called from them, being twenty miles 
from New Haven, at a place called 




HOUSE BUILT BY REV. JOHN HUBBARD ABOUT 1/70: IT STOOD UNTIL 1866 WHERE THE 

HOME OF EDWARD MILLER IS LOCATED, NO. 360 BROAD ST. IT WAS THEN 

MOVED TO 229 BROAD ST., WHERE IT IS STILL LOCATED. 



<all of which he furnished for £80 a 
year), drew numbers back to his fold, 
and, beginning in storm and stress, his 
pastorate closed in peace and quiet 
when he died, in 1786. He was broth- 
er-in-law of President Ezra Stiles, of 
Yale college, an(^ the diary of that 
learned man recently published con- 
tains a number of references to Mr. 
Hubbard and his visits to Meriden. 

It gives us a glimpse of the military 
company in 1772 performing its evolu- 
tions on the green in front of the 
church; and 'it also tells us that he 
was hunting to find a tradition that 



Meriden, half way between New Haven 
and Hartford." 

Thus was born a yarn, purely ficti- 
tious, which has had vigorous life ever 
since. Had Mr. Stiles been able to 
consult a letter written by Rev. John 
Davenport to John Winthrop the 
younger, in 1660, still in existence, he 
would have found that the name of 
Pilgrims' Harbor was then in common 
use: a time when the regicides had not 
even left Boston to escape the king's 
officers. 

Mr. Stiles must have had a golden 
opinion of the pastoral life in Meriden 



310 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



of that period, for in 1775 hie sent liis 
daughter Kezia to stay with Mr. Hub- 
bai'd, and wrote him: 

"I should lilve she might be Ivept to 
business, spinning, niillving, etc., so 
as to lay the foundation of a notable 
woman." 

There is little of interest to tell of 
the life of farmers engaged in a strug- 
gle to subdue a wilderness and then 
till the land, when compressed into a 
short address, particularly when we 
remember that Meriden was simply a 
parish and not a town. Some of the 
functions of a town were performed 
by the parish in their meetings; they 
divided the territory into districts, 
and laid taxes to support the schools, 
and appointed tithing men and elect- 
ed a few petty officers; but the town 
meetings in Wallingford concerned 
themselves little with the parish of 
Meriden, except now and then to 
lay out a highway, or to elect one 
of the members to the exalted office 
of selectman, and it must also be 
confessed that once in a while some 
Meriden man was chosen to repre- 
sent the town in the General court, or 
Assembly. 

This parish was a rather isolated 
farming settlement, in which every 
family lived on the produce of the 
land, or by the proceeds of some use- 
ful trade which was secondary to the 
work of tilling the soil. Although 
many of the farmers were the owners 
of slaves, in three or four cases hav- 
ing as many as five, there was not 
much wealth in the hands of any one 
man; neither was any person very 
poor, except he were some poor un- 
fortunate, to whom Nature had de- 
nied an ordinary mental equipment. 
There was no village street where 
could be found the homes of those 
who had accumulated sufficient wealth 
to indulge in a dignified architectural 
representation of their position and 
taste. All the dwellings were farm 
houses, and generally plain to sever- 
ity; but now and then, in some shel- 
tered nook, whether by accident or 
design, they seemed like Nature's 
work, and the blending of simple lines 
with foliage and sloping fields formed 
a scene most fair of view. Inside, 
there was frequently to be found some 
paneling and wainscotting, or a hand- 
some mantel, or a quaint and pleasing 
corner cupboard, but life in such 



houses must have been of Spartan- 
like simplicity. 

A very few of these old homes are 
left; and something like pathos 
should swell within our breasts as we 
gaze on these, the only visible remind- 
ers of an age that is gone, of names 
that have vanished, and of hands that 
have been dust these hundred years. 

The most ancient one of these 
houses is very old; that is, for Meri- 
den. There is no reason to doubt 
that what we know as the Samuel 
Clark place, on the east side of 
Colony street, two or three hundred 
feet north of Griswold street, was 
built by Solomon Goffe, of Wethers- 
fleld, in the year 1711. The late 
Mrs. Lyman Butler, who was born in 
the house more than ninety years ago, 
and there lived until she was married, 
told the speaker that she thought the 
dwelling was two hundred years old, 
and that it was called a very old 
house when she was a girl. Thus in- 
spired, a search in the records 
brought forth, figuratively speaking, 
the musty lineaments of Solomon 
Goffe. In the settlement of his fath- 
er's estate, Solomon inherited this 
farm, which was described as "farm in 
the woods, called Cole farm," bounded 
west on country road, and extending^ 
north, east and south;" truly, a 
somewhat indefinite description. But 
when he sold it in 1721, there was a 
dwelling on it, and it soon became 
the homestead of Jonathan Collins, 
from Middletown. Country road was 
the old name for Colony street, be- 
cause it was a government highway. 

Naturally, as the parish began to 
grow the need of mills was felt, and 
the first one built was by .Tames 
Hough, in 1730, where the farmers 
could bring their grain to be ground 
and their logs to be sawed. On the 
same site, stands a mill to-day. Bald- 
the name was changed an hundred 
years ago ,and we now call it Bald- 
win's, in the northeast part of the 
town. The second was built at a 
somewhat later date, and by a Hough, 
also, Ephraim by name, and the an- 
cient mill, whether the original or not 
I do not know, stands in the extreme 
.western part of the town on the 
Quinnipiac river, and is still known 
as Hough's. 

It was once a place of much import- 
ance, and probably more business 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



311 



was there transacted than in any oth- 
er part of Meriden in the early days. 
Generals James Wadsworth, of Dur- 
ham, and Andrew Hull, of Cheshire, 
were for a time partners there, and 
much grain was ground and then car- 
ried to New Haven to be shipped to 
the West Indies. 

Three fulling mills were also located 
in this parish, where the art and mys- 
tery of the clothiers' trade was prac- 
ticed, so that the homespun cloth 
woven by the women could be proper- 
ly treated before it was made into 
garments. One was located on Black 
Pond brook in East Meriden, just 
north of where the little chapel now 
stands, on the turnpike; a second ad- 
joined the Hough mill in the west, 
just described, while the site of the 
third is now almost a wilderness. 
Many persons know the location of a 
huge trap-rock bowlder, called Phebe 
rock, standing on that branch of Pil- 
grims' Harbor brook which flows 
placidly north to Baldwin's pond. It 
is about a quarter of a mile east of 
Gravel street, and children used to re- 
sort there years ago for picnics and 
afternoon excursions. Some three or 
four hundred feet south of this rock, 
with trees and shrubs sheltering the 
spot with a thick shade, may still be 
plainly traced depressions marking 
the site of an ancient wheelpit and 
raceway, while some distance to the 
south are the remains of the dam. 

The mill disappeared so long ago 
that a very old man who died several 
years since and had lived all his life 
on the farm adjoining, knew only that 
once the site had held a fulling mill, 
but whose it was or when it van- 
ished, he could not tell. But the an- 
cient records tell us that it was owned 
by a man named Noel Ives. 

Dating from the advent of the white 
man in this vicinity, there was the 
constant belief that the rocky sides of 
the Hanging hills and Mt. Lamenta- 
tion, or land adjoining, would some 
day yield to the diligent searcher an 
abundance of gold or silver or cop- 
per. There are a number of places 
which still bear evidence of these at- 
tempts to solve the problem of where 
Nature had buried her treasures. The 



most serious was made on land which 
is now in the western part of Walnut 
Grove cemetery, and was then adja- 
cent parts of the farms of Dr. William 
Hough and Timothy Roys. The an- 
cient shafts still to be seen have been 
generally considered those made on 
the Roys farm by an association of 
men called the Golden Parlour Min- 
ing company, formed in 1737. The 
records of this company are still in 
existence, and show that serious work 
was undertaken; but as nothing tangi- 
ble resulted, except debts, the attempt 
was soon abandoned in despair. But, 
not discouraged by this failure. Dr. 
Hough continued to big on his land for 
several years later, and, as far as can 
be learned from records, his net final 
assets were the holes in the ground 
made by his workmen. The last Vic- 
tim of the mining craze in that local- 
ity was apparently one of Walling- 
ford's fair damsels, Katherine, the 
daughter of that distinguished divine. 
Rev. Samuel Whittlesey. She after- 
wards married his successor. Dr. 
James Dana. 

Evidently, Meriden's era of indus- 
trial pursuits had not arrived, and 
there is little of that nature to detain 
us in the middle of the past century. 

Taverns in those early days were 
very important centers of life in every 
community. There, the farmers 
learned the news of the outside wor^d 
from the chance traveler, and perhaps 
exchanged notes and observations on 
crops and live stock. No one was 
permitted to become an innkeeper 
without the recommendation of the 
selectmen, and a license obtained from 
the county court. It was a profession 
of eminent respectability. John Yale, 
who, with Jedidiah Norton, had 
bought the western part of the old 
Belcher farm, took the southern half 
in the division, which included the 
tavern, and he and his son, Nash, ran 
it for a number of years, finally sell- 
ing it in 1763 to Yale Bishop, of New 
Haven. In 1770, the latter offered it 
for sale, and in the advertisement 
called it a noted house, and one of the 
best stands for a tavern keeper in the 
colony. But it was evident that its 
glory was departing; its fame had 
been usurped by the tavern of Josiah 



312 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Robinson, which has been mentioned 
as standing on the site now occupied 
by the home of E. J. Doolittle, 285 
Colony street. 

Mt. Robinson was an Important 
man in the community, and for those 
times had considerable wealth. He 
was captain of the train band, and 
some times a delegate to the General 
Assembly, for the town of Walling- 
ford. He applied for a license to 
keep a tavern in 1751, and for many 
years his house was the tavern of the 
parish. He died in 1766, and his in- 
ventory tells us that he had five ne- 
:gro slaves, and that back of the inn 
stood a malt house and barns and 
horse houses, and that his library con- 
tained eleven law volumes, so that he 
must have occupied somewhat the po- 
sition of legal luminary among his 
neighbors. From 1763 to 1811, the old 
almanacs mention only one tavern in 
Meriden, and that was invariably Rob- 
inson's; a name retained long after 
any of that family were connected 
with it. This house continued to 
stand until 1876, when Mr. Doolittle 
bought and demolished it, and found 
enough stone in the foundation walls 
and enormous chimney to have start- 
ed a small sized quarry. 

An examination of the old records 
has resurrected an ancient doctor, 
Ebenezer Cooper, who died as long 
ago as 1742, undoubtedly the first phy- 
sician of Meriden. He was living here 
as early as 1721, and it is little 
enough the records reveal. We know 
that his home stood on the north cor- 
ner of Paddock and Miller avenues, 
just opposite the southeast district 
school; the home of William B. Rice, 
built in 1796, occupies the site of the 
dwelling of this ancient physician, 
and his inventory tells us that he had 
sundry bottles, phials and apothecary 
things; a lignum vitae mortar and 
pestle. His body doubtless lies buried 
on Meeting House hill, but no stone 
marks his grave. 

Dr. Alexander Wolcott, afterwards 
a prominent physician of New Ha- 
ven, bought a farm here in 1736, but 
that he ever lived in Meriden it is 
impossible to say, although the vital 
statistics of Wallingford give one or 
.two items relating to him. 



Dr. William Hough lived here a 
few years, afterwards moving to 
Cheshire and later to Haddam; but 
he seems to have paid more atten- 
tion to the bowels of the earth th^un 
to the vital organs of Meriden's farm- 
ers, and were it not for his mining 
ventures we shoiild perhaps not know 
that he was once a resident of this 
parish. I am sure that the medical 
profession deem it quTie appropriate 
that the farm of a doctor should now 
be a cemetery. 

Pre-eminent among the early pl^y- 
sicians of Meriden was Dr. Isaac 
Hall, who, after a residence of nearly 
forty years in the parish, died here in 
1782. The speaker has had the priv- 
ilege of a careful examination of his 
old account book, and found that his 
practice took him to Cheshire, (juil- 
ford, Durham and even far away 
Hebron. 

The epitaph on his tombstone in the 
old Broad street cemetery tells us that 
he was: 

"A physician of eminent training 
and usefulness, very skillful in the 
various disorders of the human body 
and in clinical practice excellent, 
laborious and successful." 

We are also told that 

"The lowly cot and lofty dome 
With joy his healing art proclaim 
And teaming nature sav'd from 

death 
With grateful tears embalms his 

name." 

There were plenty of lowly cots in 
Meriden, but I am at a loss to know 
where he found the lofty dome, with- 
out it was down in Hebron. 

As was to be expected of so small 
a community, Meriden's part in mil- 
itary affairs was a modest oAe, but 
the parish was loyal to her duty, and 
her sons were to be found on the dif- 
ferent battlefields of the various 
wars. 

As one looks over the rolls of the 
companies engaged in the campaigns 
of the French and Indian wars, many 
of the old family names are found 
in associations that make it impossi- 
ble to doubt that they were Meriden 
men, and we learn that Samuel Peh- 
field, Abraham Hall. Ebenezer Prind- 
le, Ichabod Stark. Divan Berry, Jos- 
eph Merriam, Daniel Hough, Ben- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



313 



jamin Curtis, Benjamin Rexford, 
Ezekial Royce, Elnathan Ives, and 
many others were at Fort William 
Henry on Lake ^eorge, at Ticonder- 
oga, at Crown Point, or wherever the 
fortunes of war might chance, doing 
their work as good soldiers should. 

And now this war finished, and 
with Americans realizing their 
strength as a military force, and be- 
ginning to see, dimly, perhaps, the 
manifest destiny the future had in 
store, England's Parliament saw fit 
to pass the Stamp Act of 1765, to 
assist in paying for this military 
game. Every school boy knows with 
what fury the colonies heard the 
news; but every school boy does not 
know how the act was opposed in 
Wallingford. 

Wallingford freemen met in town 
meeting on January 1.3, 17(!G, and 
voted that 

"If any inhabitant shall intro- 
duce, use or improve any stampt 
vellum, parchment or paper for 
which tax or tribute is or may be de- 
mandable, such person shall incur 
the penalty of twenty ^shillings fine." 
This vote v/as one of rebellion and in- 
dependence; it was not like a riot, 
where the body politic can plead non- 
participation; it was the solemn act 
of the freemen, in town meeting as- 
sembled. And on the same day, aer 
true sons of liberty voted: 

"That we will oppose the Stamp 
Act to the last extremity even to take 
the field." 

That this was a much bolder note 
than was sounded by any other town 
of the colony seems certain. 

The rapid succession of • events 
which followed the Stamp Act in- 
tensified the excitement, and ripened 
the American people for armed re- 
sistance. What had been but a fleck 
in the sky, now overcast the whole 
heavens. The news of the 

day at Concord and Lexington spread 
like wildfire through the colonies, 
and patriots hesitated no more and 
eager, ardent men went hurrying 
towards Boston; Captain John Couch 
of Meriden, with his thirty-eight 
men, went with the rest, among 
whom we note the names of Divan 
Berry, Ezekial Rice, Joseph Shaylor, 
Dr. Insign Hough, Jonathan Yale, 
Benjamin Hart, Nathaniel Yale, John 
Butler, John Merriam, and Chris- 



topher Alwater, men whose descend- 
ants are here to-day. Captain Isaac 
Cook, of Wallingford, also started in 
this rush for Boston, with fifty-nine 
men; and everywhere the patriots 
went rapidly to the seat of war. 

Great must have been the excite- 
ment, and that no actual service was 
seen at the time does not detract 
from the patriotic motives which in- 
spired the march. In the siege of 
Boston there were certainly Meriden 
men engaged, although there is of- 
ficial record of only one, and that 
was Captain John Coucn; but in the 
Oliver Rice homestead in South Mer- 
iden is preserved a letter written by 
Ezekiel Rice under date of February 
2o, 1776, in Roxbury camp, which 
gives a number of personal experi- 
ences and lets us know the name of 
another man from this parish who 
was doing duty before the beleaguer- 
ed town; viz., Samuel Scovill. Doubt- 
less there were others, too, but their 
names have not been preserved. 

And then came the campaign around 
New York city and here, too, Meri- 
den men were present, and there are 
other letters preserved written on 
Manhattan Island, both before and af- 
ter the Battle of Long Island, which 
show that the parish was doing its 
duty. 

And so it was all through the long 
and dreary war; at Saratoga, at Bran- 
<3ywine, at Germantown, ' at Valley 
Forge, at Monmouth, or wherever 
fighting was to be done or privation 
to be borne with fortitude, Meriden 
men were there, and doubtless doing 
faithfully each his appointed work. 
But material is lacking to do these 
men the justice they deserve, and even 
lid we have more than the very scan- 
•^^iest of records to preserve their 
deeds of loyalty to country and state, 
time is wanting to make more than a 
few brief allusions. 

Captain John Couch was not a young 
man when the war broke out, and af- 
ter he and a number of his men from 
Meriden were captured at Fort Wash- 
ington, in November, 1776, his mili- 
tary career seems to have ended, ex- 
cept for militia duty now and then. 
Doubtless, languishing in a British 
prison did not increase his physical 
vigor, and perhaps incapacitated him 
for further active service. 

Of all the men of Meriden who 



314 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



served in the Revolution, no one 
seems to have been so actively and 
continuously engaged as Lieutenant 
Joseph Shaylor. Beginning with the 
Lexington alarm, he served until the 
end of the war, and was mustered out 
in 1783. He took part in many bat- 
tles, and apparently was one of that 
daring body of troops which, under 
Mad Anthony Wayne, stormed and 
captured Stony Point in 1779; one 
of the most brilliant exploits during 
the whole war. He became a mem- 
ber of the Order of the Cincinnati, 
and his military ardor was not 
quenched even by this long 
Revolutionary service, for as a 
captain he took part in the 
unhappy St. Clair expedition of 1791 
against the Miami Indians in the 
Northwest Territory, His son, Jo- 
seph, a lad of fifteen, was with him, 
and was killed and scalped by the 
Indians. A memorial to the boy, feel- 
ingly recording his fate, stands In 
the Broad street cemetery. 

Isaac Jr., son of Doctor Isaac Hall, 
was a captain in the service and so 
was Divan Berry, who seems to have 
been actively engaged at various 
points. John Hough, as lieutenant, 
served under General Schuyler, in the 
northern department. 

Phineas Hough was in the New 
York campaign of 1776, and died in 
the service; and his memorial in the 
Broad street cemetery, erected by 
John Merriam, who had married his 
widow, records that his body was 
buried in the Presbyterian churchyard. 
New York, and then follow the lines: 

"Who can grieve too much. 
What time shall end 

Our mourning for so dear a friend." 
Certainly, this was splf abnegation 
somewhat unusual in a second hus- 
band. 

Asaph Merriam, whose home stood 
on the present sit3 of the Home 
club, although he was never in a high- 
er rank than an humble private, 
marched faithfully through many a 
campaign, and his cousin, Ephraim 
Merriam, as a fifer, piped to cheerful 
courage the flagging zeal of many a 
tired soldier, winding up his final 
tune on the field at Yoiktown. 

Nor must we forget Chatham Free- 
man, the slave of Noah Yale, who 
served several years in the place 



of his master to gain his freedom; 
and likewise Black Boss, the slave 
of Abel Curtis, who trudged in the 
ranks, inspired by a like incentive. 

But time forbids to mention more. 
Altogether, there were one hundred 
and thirteen men from this little par- 
ish who served in the Continental 
army or on militia duty during this 
long and trying war. Tories we had, 
but they were few in number, and 
seem to have maintained a state of 
passive resistance, and they appar- 
ently suffered no hardships, except 
to be confined to their farms. We 
are far enough removed from those 
stirring times to realize that they 
were honest in their convictions, and 
did what they thought was their duty. 
Two farms were seized and confiscat- 
ed by the government, because the 
owner had been voted inimical to his 
country and had joined the enemy; 
but his name was Jauncy, and he was 
never a resident of the parish. One 
of these farms was the old tavern, 
with its adjoining lands which had 
once been known as the Belcher inn; 
the other was a tract of some thirty 
acres, known as the Rexford farm, 
at the northeast corner of Colony 
street and Holt's Hill road, or Hall 
avenue, as it is known to-day. But 
all things have an end, and at last 
the dawn came, and the glorious news 
of peace and independence was trum- 
peted the length and breadth of the 
land. 

It is hardly fair to those men who 
were the fathers of Meriden to pass 
them by in silence. There is little to 
tell, for their lives were quiet and 
peaceful* and they seem to have 
been of that pioneer class which al- 
ways sought to keep on the front crest 
of the spreading waves of colonial 
life, and many of their descendants 
were of that same agricultural army 
who in successive migrations were 
seeking "fresh woods and pastures 
new"; a phenomenon common enough 
in certain parts of New England dur- 
ing what we may call the pastoral pe- 
riod. Of one thing, we may be sure; 
race suicide was not popular in those 
days, and a study of the vital statis- 
tics makes one feel that we are now 
living in degenerate times. They 
nearly all raised large families, and 
many of them lived to a very grreen 
old age. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



315 



To begin in tlie center of the par- 
ish, within a stone's throw of this 
cliurch John Merriam died in 1754, at 
the age of ninety-three, leaving a 
numerous progenj\ Bartholomew Fos- 
ter, his neighbor on the north, died in 
1740, aged ninety-one, leaving a good- 
ly flock of daughters, and two sons. 
Deacon Samuel Royce died in 
1757 aged eighty-five, and hav- 
ing done his best for the par- 
ish, with a record of sixteen children. 

Timothy Jerome, although he died in 
1751, having completed only sixty-two 
years, left numerous descendants, and 
also an assortment of clothing that 
was astonishing in its range of colors 
and variety. A picture rises before 
my eyes of a tall, dignified man, garb- 
ed in a straight bodied coat of pale blue 
a red vest of baize, and leather 
breeches, the whole crowned by a 
beaver hat. No doubt Timothy wore 
the costume with grace and ease, for 
he was a man of consequence in the 
parish, and left to his widow and chil- 
dren four negro slaves. His home 
stood near what is now the junction of 
Broad and Liberty streets. 

Robert Royce, whose house stood 
where the Dr. Archer dwelling is locat- 
ed in South Farms, or Milking Yard, 
died in 1759, at the age of ninety- 
four, leaving a record seldom beaten; 
viz., thirteen children. 

John Ives, whose home was in the 
Dog's Misery country, was the ancestor 
of most of those named Ives who live 
in Meriden to-day. He died in 1738, 
at the age of sixty-nine, and eleven 
children stand to his credit. 

Benjamin Curtis, whose home stood 
on what we now call Curtis street, 
died in 1754, aged only fifty-one, and 
with a family of only nine children to 
mourn his loss. His son Benjamin 
brought the average up, however, by 
dying at the age of eighty-eight, with 
fourteen children to his credit. 

Deacon Ebenezer Cowles was anoth- 
er of these patriarchs who lived to a 
good old age. He died at the age of 
eighty-three, and the number of his 
children was sixteen. Major Elisha 
A. Cowles, one of the most prominent 
men of Meriden in the first half of the 
nineteenth century, was his grandson. 

The deacon had an eagle eye that 
was constantly on the watch for law- 
breakers of every degree. Among the 



papers treasured in the Oliver Rice 
homestead, is one reading as follows: 

"Wallingford, february ye 4th, 1754, 
I the subscriber Do enter this Com- 
plaint to Ezekiel roys Esq. and say, 
that Ichabod Stark is guilty of the 
breach of the Law by not Attendihg 
the public worship of God, on the Sec- 
ond third and fourth Lord's day of 
January last past in any Congregation 
by Law Alowed. 

Ebenezer Cowles, Grand Juryman." 

It is fortunate for most of us that 
there has been such a drastic revision 
of our statutes, and that men like good 
Deacon Cowles have long been gather- 
ed to their fathers. 

To come down to a later date, we 
find in the Connecticut Journal of Au- 
gust 24, 1796, this notice: 

"On August 12th the following per- 
sons dined at the house of Doct. Hough 
in Meriden viz. Aaron Lyman Esq, 89 
years old, his wife 80. Capt. John 
Webb 89 and his wife 84 and have been 
married 64 years. Phineas Hough 83 
and his wife 82. Noah Yale 82 and 
his wife 81 have been married 60 years. 
The widow Sarah Yale, age 84. 

After spending the afternoon in 
agreeable conversation on the things 
of this world and the world to come, 
they went to their respective homes 
expecting not to meet again till they 
meet in heaven." 

The data here given merely scratches 
the surface, and yet we are told that 
insurance statistics show the average 
of human life is lengthening! 

As for the mothers of Meriden, God 
bless them, what higher tribute can 
we pay them than to say they were the 
devoted spouses of these fathers, and 
that they reared their large families, 
with resources of ingenious economy 
beyond the ken of modern times, and 
then frequently lived to a greater age 
than those already quoted? 

I do not know that Meriden was an 
unusually religious community, or that 
the terrors of death were more vividly 
realized here than elsewhere, but it 
does seem as if the old cemetery on 
Broad street contained an amazingly 
large number of doleful and pathetic 
epitaphs. One which for woefulnesa 
of despair is unique, appears on the 
tombstone of a son of Jotham Mitchell, 
and reads as follows: 



3i6 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



"Thy earthy hopes fond youth are 

but a dream 
O'er all things here I claim a power 

supreme 
While love prepares the nuptial torch 

to light 
I quench its splendors in sepulchral 

night: 
My name is death: see here my victims 

lie 
Renounce thy pleasures and prepare to 

die." 

In the year 1780 the parish of Chesh- 
ire was made a town. The example 
was one that this parish was eager to 
follow although numbering many less 
inhabitants. 

On April 12, 17S6, the parish of Mer- 
iden came together at the meeting 
house, and voted to present a mem- 
orial to the General Assembly, pray- 
ing to be constituted a town and an- 
nexed to Middlesex county. The peti- 
tion strongly urged the inconvenience 
of a journey to the courthouse in New 
Haven, an average distance of nineteen 
miles, while that of Middletown was 
only nine miles away; but Walling- 
ford was in no mood to lose another 
slice of her territory, and the petition 
was successfully opposed. But the 
agitation was successfully continued, 
and when at last another petition was 
presented, in 1804, Wallingford reluct- 
antly consented to the separation, and 
the General Assembly, on the second 
Thursday in May, 1806, passed a bill 
incorporating'Meriden a separate town- 
ship; and the first town meeting was 
held under the act, just an hundred 
years ago this afternoon, at one 
o'clock, a reproduction of which we 
witnessed this morning. 

And now at last Meriden was one of 
that federation of independent towns, 
endowed "with all the attributes of 
sovereignty not expressly granted to 
the General Court" of the state of 
Connecticut. The long struggle was 
ended, and the town could now grow 
and expand, unhampered by the vex- 
atious conditions inseparable from its 
former state of surburban parish of a 
larger community. 

There was little about the town in 
its early days which indicated that 
some day it would grow to a place of 
considerable size; it was simply a qui- 
et, peaceful community, bent on get- 
ting a living as best it could from the 



rather sterile soil; and that the farms 
were not as productive as they once 
had been, seems indicated in various 
ways. The houses built after 1790, 
until a considerably later date were 
not so capacious and roomy as those 
of an earlier period, and the inventor- 
ies of estates had also begun to dwin- 
dle in amounts, and many of them were 
pitifully small when compared with 
those of the first settlers. Meriden 
was poor; there is no doubt of that, 
but the people were indomitable and 
bound to succeed. If a living coulJ 
not be gained from the soil, then one 
must be wrested from fortune on the 
soil. And then began the struggle, 
long, bitter and hard, a fight against 
fate, which seemed to have doomed 
them to a grinding between the mill- 
stones of lack of advantages and pov- 
erty of resource; but if natural advan- 
tages of waterpower were wanting; 
then that must be made which did not 
require it. Shops sprang up all over 
the town, by the scores; little shops, 
where two or three men worked to- 
gether, and where the hours were long 
and the profits small; but where the 
ceaseless struggle went on year after 
year, with a courage born of a belief 
that victory must come at last. 

One thousand two hundred and forty- 
nine people lived in Meriden in 1820, 
and 105 were engaged in manufactur- 
ing, or about 8 1-2 per cent; but in 
1840 the proportion had increased to 
twenty-one per cent, and the shops 
had grown larger. 

In 1833, Meriden had organized a 
bank, and had begun to assume a 
place of importance in the commei'cial 
world, and her goods were becoming 
known; and they were honest goods, 
well made; and her men were men 
of probity, weight and resource; and 
victory had come at last, and her 
population was growing by jumps 
and bounds, and the increase in pro- 
duction of goods kept pace with her 
growth in numbers. In the decade 
ending in 1850, the increase was near- 
ly 100 per cent, or from 1,880 to 
;^,559 souls; tiny still, but growing; 
and in 1800 the roll stood at 7,240, or 
a jump of more than 100 per cent. 

As one looks over the names of the 
manufacturers in Meriden, one is con- 
scious that there were some great men 
among them; men who, with greater 



CEXTEXXIAL OF MERIDEN. 



3^7 



natural advantages, would have ach- 
ieved much greater results. Among 
them might be named Julius Pratt, 
Charles Parker and Horace C. Wilcox. 
What has been done has been 
brought about in spite of fate; 
what had been Meriden's mis- 
fortune was hammered into a bless- 
ing by hard and sturdy blows. 
But the struggle is not ended; the 
fight is still on, and while we pause 
to look back on the past, we are con- 
scious that retrospect is but a means 
to add new courage, and to draw in- 
spiration for the struggles of the fu- 
ture. What a wonderful change has 
come to the quiet little hamlet of 
Yankee farmers of an hundred years 
ago! Then, they were a thousand 
souls of homogenous blood and tra- 
dition. To-day we are 35,000 strong, 
and embrace every nationality of Eu- 
rope. If the change is great to-day, 
think what it will be an hundred years 
from now! Who dares even attempt 
to draw the veil from the future? 
Who can catch the faintest glimmer 
of the Meriden of the year 2006? 



BY HON. C. LaRUE MUNSON. 

C. La Rue Munson, of Williamsport, 
Pa., former president of the Pennsylva- 
nia Bar association, gave a most inter- 
esting address in the afternoon on 
"New England's Influence Upon Our 
Institutions and in American Pro- 
gress." Mr. Munson who is an able 
speaker and a man of great influence 
in his state, is prominently mentioned 
as a candidate for the Democratic 
nomination for governor. His ad- 
dress in full, is as follows: 

To the unreflecting hearer it would 
seem but an idle boast to assert that 
the majority of the leading citizens 
in the greater number of our pro- 
gressive and prosperous American 
communities were born within the 
bounds of New England or hold 
within their veins the blood of a 
Puritan ancestry, colonizing these 
shores in the first half of the seven- 
teenth century, and yet, if such a 
census could be taken the truth of 
this statement would be established- 
When we remember that the force- 
ful character of those sturdy English 
men would not be destroyed or en- 
ervated in their descendents by their 
migration to more western homes. 



and when we learn that the 20,000 
who formed the Puritan exodus of 
1620-1640 have grown into one- 
fourth of our population, the other 
three-fourths containing the hund- 
reds of thousands of emigrants and 
their children who have come to us 
since our Civil war, it is apparent 
that the argument is well founded. 
To the language of a quaint Puritan 
divine: "God sifted a whole nation 
that he might send choice grain in- 
to the wilderness," might well be 
added now that this seed sown in 
American soil has produced a nation 
far mightier than that from which 
the grain was sifted, and that so long 
as this grain preserves its strength 
and purity so long will this nation 
continue to enjoy the favor and pro- 
tection of an over-ruling Providence 
and produce harvests to spread lib- 
ertj' and enduring civilization among 
the families of the earth. 

Far be it from me to denj' the 
masterly qualities and the great in- 
fluence upon our national life of the 
Scotch-Irish, the Teuton, the Quaker 
and the cavalier of the south; their 
admixtures with the predominant 
English blood has made us the great 
people we are, and without them 
this nation would not have achieved 
her pre-eminence, and yet it cannot 
be denied that in the learned pro- 
fessions, in education, in literature, 
in art, in statesmanship, in manu- 
facture, and in commerce, the sons 
of New England have had the greater 
share in our whole land and while 
much of this success may have been 
secured through a descent from an 
ancestry of more than one nationality 
still the fact remains that the char- 
acteristics of those who first estab- 
lished the beginnings of civil govern- 
ment on our northern shores have 
been the most prominent in the lives 
of our foremost American citizens. 

It would seem but fitting that at 
this Centennial celebration of a 
typical New England city, and one 
whose name and fame are widespread 
the proceedings should include some 
reference to this important element 
in our national life, and to the share 
this section of our land has had in 
bringing our Union of States to its 
present predominant position. He 
who has the honor to respond to your 
invitation to address you in this line 
of thought feels the more free to de- 



3i8 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Clare the proud position the people 
of New England may well claim when 
he reminds you that his birth place 
was within the bounds of the Empire 
state, and his home since childhood 
in the Commonwealth of the Key- 
stone, states to which he is proud 
to yield allegiance, while he must not 
forget his exclusively Puritan de- 
scent, and that scores of his ances- 
tors sleep within the bounds of the 
county in which is located the fair 
municipality whose one hundredth 
birthday is this hour being celebrat- 
ed, and that many of his forefathers 
were prominent in its erection and 




HON. C. LaRUE M UN son. 

progress, and during their lives faith- 
ful to its best interests 

Bearing in mind the limited time 
at our disposal, and that your pa- 
tience may not be exhausted, your at- 
tention will be confined to the de- 
cisive influence of the governmental 
principles of the Puritans enunciated 
through the people of .New England 
in the formation of the American na- 
tion, and in the construction of the 
constitutional safeguards whereby 
our individual rights and liberties 
are assured; not omitting a consider- 



ation of the important share in that 
work secured by means of the first 
written constitution providing for a 
democratic and representative form 
of government — the famous "Funda- 
mental Orders of Connecticut," 
formulated on .January 14th. 1639. 

Historians direct our attention to 
the great system under which the 
world has been ruled: The Oriental, 
the Roman, and the English. Tersely 
stated, and in the same order, they 
were conquest without incorporation 
of the conquered; conquest with in- 
corporation but without representa- 
tion to the conquered; and conquest 
with an incorporation granting full 
representation to the vanquished. A 
brief comparison of these systems of 
government will be helpful in show- 
ing the strength of the one which 
has now secured the mastery in the 
civilized world; a struggle for vic- 
tory so greatly assisted through the 
vigorous assertion by the Puritans 
of their principles of individualism 
and of free government, and by their 
final conversion on American soil to 
the doctrine of the total disseverance 
of church and state. 

In the Orient there was always some 
fusion between the conquered and the 
victorious tribes, but only when there 
was a similarity of speech or of re- 
ligion; when stopped by the bar of dif- 
ferences in these respects the stronger 
overpowered the weaker, refused it in- 
corporation into its own body politic, 
and reduced it to abject slavery. This 
was the .genesis of many of the des- 
potic nations in the valleys of the Eu- 
phrates anu the Nile, and while such a 
treatment often resulted in the devel- 
opment of a certain materialistic civ- 
ilization, evidenced by mighty temples 
and splendid royal palaces erected by 
millions of telling wretches, yet it 
could endure only until it came into 
contact with a higher form of govern- 
ment. The history of the Moor of 
Spain is the best illustration of the 
weakness of this form of government, 
a system which still exists in some 
parts of the world, though its day is 
long past and never again will become 
dominant. 

The Roman form of government was 
conquest with incorporation into the 
body politic, but forbidding the essen- 
tial element of permanent national 
success, representation in the govern- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



319 



Taent of the conqueror. This system, 
in comparison with the Oriental, was a 
mighty step forward in the work of 
nation building, and in its primary 
condition might have grown into the 
perfected form. It was the first time 
liberty and union had been joined to- 
gether, whereby the conquered became 
a Roman citizen and protected by its 
legions, but it could not come to per- 
fection while lacking the essential 
element of local self-government. Its 
vice lay in too strong a centralization; 
it knew nothing of representative as- 
semblies or of the right of individual 
suffrage; the Roman senate being but 
the assembly of an aristocracy holding 
high oiRce, while its popular assem- 
blies were too primary, having no con- 
ception of representative government. 
The only idea of the Roman system 
was a power delegated from the cen- 
tral authority to its military deputies 
in far off lands; there was nothing of 
representation at the center from the 
outside. It was a government force 
centrifugal and working from the cen- 
ter outward lacked the cohesion neces- 
sary to preservation. Had it included 
representation to all its subjects it 
would have been a force centripetal, 
binding its people together by leading 
them from the circumference toward 
the center. Had full representation 
been added to Roman incorporation of 
its conquered nations the Latin tongue 
might have been the language of the 
people to-day, and the world's govern- 
ment still seated upon the shores of the 
Mediterranean. 

War and conquest were necessary to 
both the Oriental and the Roman sys- 
tems of government. No so with the 
present predominant method; it makes 
possible a great nation by a peaceful 
coalition of neighboring states and 
their union into a federal body; it 
gives full representation to all its 
parts; it brings them all under one 
constitution and insures to them indi- 
vidual liberty, and thereby creates 
both a free state and a free church, 
and by those qualities unites its peo- 
ple, not as subjects, but as sovereigns, 
all with equal rights and assured of 
equal libertie.s — a government by the 
people, for the people and of the peo- 
ple. 

In its earliest form this idea of gov- 
ernment began with the Teutonic 
tribes, and when they entered into 



Britain, after their conquest of those 
islands, they brought with them this 
idea of representative government, 
evidenced by their county meetings, 
the germ of the English Parliament 
and of the American Congress. Nor 
did they know of a political religion, 
but worshipped Thor and Woden with- 
out state control. So for a century 
and a half they continued, while on 
the continent the Roman system of 
government and of a state church were 
predominant. These ideas of repre- 
sentative government and of freedom 
of worship have never been eradicated 
from the English character, and hence 
on British soil was fought the great 
fight between these two systems; one 
the feudal, only another name for the 
Roman, and the other the English, 
claiming self-government and liberty 
of conscience. This struggle was with 
varying fortune, and until the seven- 
teenth century the victoi'v seemed to 
be with the Roman idea. In that cen- 
tury the power of the Puritan turned 
the scale and Cromwell and his Round- 
heads planted in England for all time 
the impregnable fortress of free gov- 
ernment and individual liberty, both in 
state and church. 

These ideas flourished still better 
on the virgin soil of New England, 
where they were not compelled to 
overcome rival institutions and could 
have full growth without let or hind- 
rance. So it is that our American 
form of government is on a higher 
plane than is that of our mother Eng- 
land, yet together they have come to 
the mastery of the earth in the prin- 
ciples for which they stand. The cen- 
ter of the world's government has 
shifted from the Nile, the Tiber and 
the Rhine, to the Thames and the 
Potomac, until in this twentieth 
century the world's destiny is con- 
trolled from London and Washington, 
and the Anglo-Saxon race is the mas^ 
ter of the earth. This principle of 
representative government and indi- 
vidual freedom was the keynote of 
the Puritan idea and was the predom- 
inant thought in the organization of 
our a:ovenment, giving us a system 
vastly superior to that from w^hich it 
had been talven. When the English 
crow^n refused to permit representa- 
tion as a necessary precedent to tax- 
ation, thus strikins: at the vitals of 
rhe Puritan idea, the New England 



320 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



colonies were foremost in its defense 
and in throwing off the fetters of 
monarchial government, as well as in 
the creation of a republic through 
whose influence the rule of the civil- 
ized world has been wholly changed. 
This influence had its part in the up- 
rising of a cruelly down-trodden peo- 
ple, who passing through the horrors 
of a revolution before or since un- 
known to history, and through the 
dangers attendant upon the meteoric 
career of the mighty Napoleon, 
emerged into the Republic of France, 
whose watchwords are "liberty, equal- 
ity and fraternity." It was an in- 
fluence which assisted in blending the 
Teutonic fatherland into a constitu- 
tional monarchy; united disintegrated 
Italy; reduced Spain to a minor world 
power, and stripped her of possessions 
which by discovery and conquest were 
rightfully hers, and would have been 
her permanent heritage had she seen 
that representative government could 
alone endure; an influence which to- 
day rocks the throne of the Hapsburg 
and is about to force into a constitu- 
tional government the mighty empire 
of a despotic czar. 

It is not to England we must look 
for the motive power which has 
dragged the world from the Roman 
form of government to the perfection 
of modern constitutional and liberty 
giving rule, but rather to our own 
system, which had its inception and 
received its greatest impulse from 
the founders of New England upon 
their migration to American shores. 
Turn we our thoughts to the early 
years of the seventeenth century. 
How little did the then rulers of the 
old world — .Tames the First, seeking 
to strangle the liberties of England, or 
Richelieu, layins: his plans to buHd up 
a kinsfly desnotism — realize that a lit- 
tle group of English yeomen were 
founding a colony in a western wil- 
derness from whose vie:orous loins 
would spring a mighty nation to dom- 
inate the world when the Stuart and 
the Bourbon were alike forgotten. Of 
these Puritans and their English 
brethren King .Tames had scornfullv 
said: "I will make them conform or I 
will harry them out of the land." TTe 
did, indeed, drive these Pil^rrim Fath- 
ers frona his land, but within five gen- 
erations thereafter their descendants 



had harried the English government 
from these shores, and within anoth- 
er five generations had compelled not 
only England, but as well the whole 
world, to conform to America's princi- 
ples of free government, to America's 
ideas, to America's commercial pre- 
dominance even to America's mone- 
tary power. 

As builders of states no others have 
succeeded in the western world, others 
tried it and failed, the English race 
alone prevailed. The Aztecs, in some 
respects with an stonishing develop- 
ment of civilization, first made the at- 
tempt, but they are unknown to his- 
tory and their memory is preserved 
only by tradition and a few relics. 
Spain undertook colonization in the 
new world, but nothing remains save 
a few struggling South American re- 
publics,- ever in the tnroes of revolu- 
tion, and connected with the proud 
Castilian only by speech and charac- 
teristics forbidding permanence. The 
French tried it, and as they were 
when they landed at Quebec so are 
they to-day — from them not one 
branch has grown. Nearly all the na- 
tions of Europe made the experiment, 
even the Dutch at New Amsterdam; 
all are swallowed up in the great 
Union of states initiated by the Eng- 
lish and destined, so long as It re- 
mains true to the principles of its 
founders, to a permanency co-exten- 
sive with time itself. 

The germ of our constitutional 
rights and liberties was contained 
within the character of the Puritan; 
his was a grand character because of 
what he said and did, and by reason 
of that which circumstances and en- 
vironment did for him. Fighting with 
the state for his liberty he learned to 
doubt, and then to deny, the divine 
right of kings; fighting with a state 
church for his conscience, its posses- 
sion and expression, he learned to 
doubt, then to deny the divine right 
of rule by a political prelacy. These 
conditions created within him a spirit 
forcing him to the belief that the 
church could control his conscience 
only so long as it was governed by 
Holy Writ and followed in the foot- 
steps of its Divine founder; above all 
he recognized that the only safety for 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



321 



the state if it would be free was abso- 
lute severance from all hierarchies, 
the only foundation of perdurable gov- 
ernment, the fully recognition of in- 
dividual man and the manhood of the 
individual. With him there was but 
one theory — that every man before 
God was a man with a right to himself 
and for himself to speak; in short, the 
essence of the Puritan principle was 
individual freedom; from that alone 
springs religious liberty and politi- 
cal independence. The free church, 
the free state, the free school, these 
compose the triple armor preserving 
American freedom, American nation- 
ality and American security. 

This great principle underlies our 
organic forms of government, both 
state and federal, and upon it was 
built the constitution of New Eng- 
land, a constitution which laid along- 
side those of our states does not vary 
from them by a single inch. 

Tracing the history of constitu- 
tional construction in America we 
cannot but note the important part 
Connecticut's "fundamental orders" 
had in the framing of all those which 
followed. The earliest Anglo-Saxon 
declaration of rights, Magna Charta, 
great as it was, lacked the essential 
element of a constitution; the differ- 
ence between them being well de- 
fined: "A charter differs from a con- 
stitution in that the former is grant- 
ed by the sovereign, while the latter 
is established by the people them- 
selves." The field of Runnymede, on 
June 15, 1215, witnessed a stupendous 
event in history when the English 
barons at point of sword and lance 
wrung from the despotic John that 
famous charter whose principles of 
liberty lie at the very foundation of 
free government, yet a greater day 
dawned for civil government when, on 
January 14, 1639, and within a few 
miles from this spot, a constitution — 
the first to be formulated in writing — 
was framed by the people of the col- 
ony of Connecticut whereby their own 
powers were to be limited and con- 
trolled. 

Not in the cabin of the Mayflower, 
where as they styled themselves "the 
subjects of our dread sovereign Lord 
King James," made their famous com- 

21 



pact and agreement; not in the Mas- 
sachusetts Bay colony, whose head and 
chief had said that he did not conceive 
that God had ever ordained democracy 
as a fit government either for church 
or commonwealth; not in the colony of 
New Haven, whose "Fundamental 
Agreement" of June 4, 1639, was mar- 
red by the requirement that none but 
church members should make the laws, 
hold office, or control public affairs — 
a direct denial of man's equality; cer- 
tainly not in aristocratic Virginia, and 
never claimed by New Amsterdam or in 
the possessions of William Penn, but 
only in the colony of Connecticut, 
where, on that memorable day of Jan- 
uary 14, 1639. the judicious Christians 
composing the towns of Hartford, 
Windsor and Wethersfield, framed the 
famous "Fundamental Orders of Con- 
necticut," incited thereto by the wise 
Thomas Hooker, who had maintained 
before them that "the foundation of 
authority is laid in the full consent of 
the people," and that "they who have 
power to appoint officers and magis- 
trates have the right also to set the 
bounds and limitations of the power 
and place unto which they call them." 
Here was the genesis of all our later 
constitutions, and of it our Federal 
Constitution is the direct descendant, 
being more nearly related to these 
"Fundamental Orders" than to any 
other of the constitutions of the thir- 
teen colonies. Its most prominent 
features lay in the creation of a fed- 
eration of independent towns, reserv- 
ing to each other every attribute of 
sovereignty not expressly granted to 
the General Court, and providing that 
while the governor and council were to 
be crossed by a majority vote of the 
whole federation, and through a prac- 
tically universal suffrage, yet each 
town had preserved to itself an equal- 
ity of representation in the assembly. 
Here is found the germ of our national 
legislative organization. Its force is 
well evidenced by the historical fact 
that Connecticut saved the day in the 
chief crisis of the Federal Constitution 
convention of 1787, when her delegates, 
William Samuel Johnson and Roger 
Sherman, brought forth and secured 
the wise compromise whereby each 
state was given equal representation 
in the Senate and popular representa- 
tion in the lower house; a system 
which has been proven by time to be 



322 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



most wise, and against whicli no voice 
has ever been raised. 

Of the influence of Connecticut's first 
constitution upon our governmental in- 
stitutions, and lier share in American 
progress, a great orator well said: 

"Here was the beginning of the first 
democratic commonwealth, the first 
formulated assertion of the people's 
right to rule, the first effective blow at 
class privileges. Here was the dis- 
severance of church and state, here the 
establishment of town government, the 
beginning of a federated system, the 
inauguration of the plan and model 
upon which the constitution of all suc- 
ceeding commonwealths and of the 
United States were formed." From 
that time Connecticut has gone on do- 
ing solid, useful work in the world. 
Steadfast without bigotry, brave with- 
out boasting, earnest without fanatic- 
ism, positive without dogmatism, her 
well descended sons trace back their 
lineage with pride to those "judicious 
Christians" of 1639. The word which 
Napoleon could not do without, but 
which Wellington never needed, does 
not bedizen the fair pages on which 
the story of Connecticut is told. No 
"glories" flaunt themselves along that 
simple record of the natural and or- 
derly growth and progress of a com- 
monwealth of earnest men. Their an- 
cestors were workingmen, not treading 
any shining path, but trudging work- 
day fashion to their chosen work in 
the world. 

So went John Mason and his men 
to the Pequot war; so hurried Israel 
Putnam and his followers to Bunker 
Hill; so that wise, painstaking mer- 
chant, Jonathan Trumbull, by his 
unselfish devotion and tireless activ- 
ity gathered for Washington the 
sinews of war when the struggle 
seemed hopeless; so in every crisis 
and at every point in history for 
more than two hundred and fifty 
years the steady going every day 
workmen of the first democratic 
commonwealth on this continent, un- 
knighted and unplumed, unmoved by 
aught but the sense of duty, have 
stood to the ranks and done their 
share in the world's work. 

We must not be unmindful of oth- 
er influences contributing to New 
England's pre-eminence in our na- 
tional organization, and which train- 
ed her sons for the statesmanship 



that created the Union of states and 
led to lines of permanent success, 
'i ne situation of the student of the 
evolution of our constitutional gov- 
ernment is necessarily drawn to the 
New England town meeting system, 
known in all its history and still in 
use. Thereby its people were taught 
the important lesson that they were 
self governing rather than governed — 
tne very essence of the democratic 
commonwealth. There they learned, 
by having direct voice in the ques- 
tion that the power of taxation is 
lodged in the people alone, and not 
in their rulers, and that only by their 
direct suffrage can their property be 
taken for governmental support or 
defense. Tne inculcation of this 
principle in the minds of the people 
of New England led to their denial 
of the power of the English crown 
to tax them while refusing them rep- 
resentation in the Legislature creat- 
ing such taxation, and resulting in 
the limitation in our Federal Con- 
stitution that all revenue bills must 
originate in the House of Representa- 
tives, the direct agents of the people, 
chosen by their direct suffrages and 
holding office for but short terms, 
rendering the subjects to removal 
should their legislation run counter 
to popular opinion- 
It was in these town meetings that 
the statesmen of New England have 
been trained for more important 
duties, and whereby, having learned 
the will of the people by direct con- 
tact with them, and thus having bet- 
ter knowledge of their needs, they 
have become their representatives in 
the halls of Congress in fact as well 
as in name. It must be admitted 
that New England has ever been 
well represented at our national Cap- 
itol and that in no other part of the 
country have such representatives 
been accorded so many succeeding 
terms of office. It may be considered 
whether the reason for this is not to 
be found in the thought suggested; 
whatever its reason its results has 
been of decided advantage to the peo- 
ple of New England and, indeed, to 
the whole nation. 

Another great influence in the 
shaping of our national policy and 
in laying the foundation of our 
Union of States is found in the New 
England Confederacy, formed in 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



323 



1643 by the colonies of Massachus- 
etts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New 
Haven and officially styled "The 
United Colonies of New England." 
It cannot be doubted that this league, 
organized only for mutual protect- 
ion and under but a crude plan, was 
the suggestion for, and, in a primary 
way, the type of the future Union of 
States. It was the first American at- 
tempt at colonial federation and con- 
tained some of the essential prin- 
ciples upon which rests our present 
federal constitution. Each colony 
retained its independence in all in- 
ternal affairs, including taxation, but 
yielded to the majority vote of all 
in whatever concerned the common 
interests of the confederacy, then 
confined to a defense against their 
turbulent Indian neighbors and to 
their relations with other colonies 
and with foreign powers. 

It was a rare step in those days to 
create a confederacy without asking 
the consent of the home government, 
but it was the dawning of the day when 
the control of that government over 
the colonies was to be totally denied; 
indeed this compact, tacitly at least, 
recognized the sovereignty of each of 
the four colonies by which it was cre- 
ated, and therein lay the basic princi- 
ple for the only possible future union 
of States, wherein the fundamental 
limitation was required and all pow- 
ers not delegated to the central gov- 
ernment were reserved to the Sover- 
eign states creating that federation. 

Perhaps the most important result 
of the New England confederacy, and 
following from its continuance during 
a period of forty years, was in the in- 
fluence of the colonies upon each other 
in modifying their ideas of govern- 
ment, particularly with reference to 
individualism. Can we not believe 
that those who lived under the theo- 
cratic government prevailing in Mas- 
sachusetts Bay and in New Haven 
drew lessons of wisdom from the dele- 
gates from more tolerant Plymouth 
and from democratic Connecticut, and 
thereby were influenced to later pre- 
vailing views when toleration of vari- 
ous religious beliefs overcame more 
bigoted conceptions of individual 
rights of conscience, and no longer 
was it believed that union of church 
and state was necessary, or that rep- 



resentation in the government should 
be confined to those holding but one 
line of theological belief. Did not 
this association of men of high charac- 
ter, and actuated by the best of de- 
sires, lead to a higher thought than 
they had before conceived — the great 
principle that government, to be per- 
manent, must dissever church and 
state, and give full recognition to 
individual rights, both in conscience 
and suffrage? Thus there was created 
a greater New England, united in 
every part to demand independence 
from a despotic government, and to 
be foremost in the organization of a 
union, one and indissoluble, for now 
and for all time the only perfect gov- 
ernment conceived by man, and an 
example to all the nations of the earth. 
We may conclude with the assurance 
that so long as the American people 
remain faithful in the preservation of 
these fundamental principles of free 
government, and in the defense of 
our individual rights and of freedom 
of conscience; so long as this nation 
will oppose a centralized form of 
government and its perversive results, 
paternalism and the protection of 
favored classes and conditions; so 
long as we will not refuse to rerurn 
to office those who dare to do right 
and will fearlessly expose fraud and 
corruption, no matter how exalted the 
places where they may be found; then 
so long will we be guided by the prin- 
ciples received as a priceless heritage 
from the founders of New England, 
and thus and thus only will peace and 
happiness, truth and justice, religion 
and piety be established among us for 
all generations." 



BY JULIUS H. PRATT. 

Julius H. Pratt, who now at the 
age of eighty-five is quietly living at 
Monclair, N. J., knows perhaps more 
than any other living man about the 
early struggles of the manufacturers 
who tried to establish various lines of 
business here. Below is given in full 
the address that Mr. Pratt gave on 
Saturday evening at the First Con- 
gregational church, at the historical 
and closing exercises of the Centen- 
nial celebration: 



324 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



In the year 1840, just fifty years 
ago, for business reasons and inspired 
by the migatory instinct inherent 
in the New Englander of that 
period, I had selected a home for my 
family, which, in its natural sur- 
roundings, resembled dear old Meri- 
den most nearly of any that I could 
And in the suburbs of New York. The 
rolling hills and rocky cliffs, similar 
in form but less in size, surrounded 
the place of my selection, and on the 
western horizon, as here, rose the 
mountain range to a height of two- 
thirds the altitude of West Peak. 




JULIUS H. PRATT. 



Lest we should sever too abruptly 
our relation with the old home, we 
transplanted to the new soil many of 
its flowering shrubs and vines, and 
engrafted upon the trees around our 
new home scions from the luscious 
fruit trees of the Meriden homestead, 
and thus we perpetuated among our 
children and grand-children the sweet 
perfumes and delicious flavors and 
dear associations of our former life 
in Meriden. 

To-day, in revisiting the greatly 



changed scenes of my youth, I come 
to you somewhat battered by the rav- 
ages of time, but still as a New Eng- 
lander, and will now try to tell you a 
few things which happened here be- 
fore most of you were born. 

If you ask why it is that I happen 
to exemplify one of the few instances 
of longevity, I can assign no other 
cause than simple perseverance; I 
have just kept on living. Abbreviat- 
ed lives are said to be caused by too 
much thinking, and one authority has 
discovered that no deep thinkers or 
able writers have reached the cen- 
tury mark. If this is true I will en- 
deavor to avoid undue mental effort 
in order to be present at your next 
celebration. The special subject as- 
signed to me for consideration is, "The 
Infant Industries of Meriden During 
the Second Quarter of the Last Cen- 
tury." 

The history of Meriden manufac- 
turers has been very fully treated of 
in printed chronicles, which probably 
have been read by most of my audi- 
ence, and I shall, therefore, only at- 
tempt to add, from my own memory, 
some facts omitted in the published 
history, and perhaps fill up certain 
vacant spaces between the salient fea- 
tures described by other writers. 

In 1825 "industry" in the town of 
Meriden was universal. There were 
no idlers; the farmer at his plow, the 
carpenter at his bench, the blacksmith 
at his forge, the shoemaker at his 
last, the tailor with his goose, the 
housewife with never ending de- 
mands for her ubiquitous services, all 
were busy from dawn to dark in a 
working day of from twelve to fifteen 
hours. But "industries," as under- 
stood in our modern classification, 
were few and comparatively insignifi- 
cant. Auxiliary power to lighten 
human labor, was restricted to the 
natural force of gravitation, acting 
upon the descending water of the 
streams which traversed the town. 

Sparsely scattered along the water 
courses, there were visible only the 
germs of machinery, which in the fu- 
ture were to expand into gigantic 
growth with the advent of the steam 
engine and its illimitable power. 
Commencing near the sources of the 
Harbor brook, in the eastern section 
of the town, at the point where it 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



325 



crosses the Middletown road, could be 
noticed a carding and fulling mill 
where the wool, brought from the 
surrounding farms was prepared for 
the spinning wheels tended by the 
nimble fingers of the farmers' wives 
and daughters in their busy life at 
home. Further down the stream, at 
the crossing of the Westfleld road, 
was the saw mill of Asahel Baldwin, 
which converted the farmers' logs in- 
to the various forms necessary for 
the homes of the inhabitants and for 
housing their cattle. Adjoining it 
was a grist mill where the farmers' 
grain was prepared for home con- 
sumption and more or less "toll" was 
abstracted in the process. Next in 
order, at the crossing of the New 
Haven and Hartford turnpike was the 
ivory comb factory of Howard Pratt 
& Company, from which the products 
were sent abroad to the unfortunate 
people who needed them more than 
the cleanly and well groomed citizens 
of Meriden. A mile below, near 
where the Bradley & Hubbard works 
are now located, a small water power 
was utilized by Isbell & Curtis for 
making door latches, and a mile fur- 
ther on, at the crossing of the old 
Hanover road was a saw mill, the 
last obstruction to the natural flow of 
Harbor brook before losing its iden- 
tity in the Quinnipiae river. The 
'Sodom brook was undisturbed by hu- 
man industries, excepting only one 
sawmill at the crossing of the South- 
ington road, and the speckled trout 
continued to sport in its pure waters 
long after they had been persecuted 
and driven from their homes in all 
the other streams, where, at the time 
we are now considering, they flour- 
ished abundantly. Another tributary 
of the Quinnipiae was the little stream 
at Crow Hollow which, although di- 
minutive in size, was rapid in its flow 
for the brass works of Lauren Merri- 
am and the ivory comb works of Wal- 
ter Webb & Company. The Quinni- 
piae river, near the Cheshire border, 
was only partially utilized by Henry 
Griswold for the manufacture of bone 
buttons and wooden pocket combs. 
Lower down, at Hanover, the abund- 
ant water power was partially used by 
Brooks & Tibbals for the manufacture 
of augurs, and half a mile below by 
Sanford x^armelee & Company for the 



manufacture of skates and augurs. 

The foregoing constitute all the fac- 
tories in Meriden in the year 1830 
that were operated by auxiliary pow- 
er, excepting the tannery works of 
John Butler, at the corner of Liberty 
and Broad streets, and the pewter 
works of Ashabel Griswold adjoining 
his residence on Griswold street, each 
of which employed one horse, attach- 
ed to a sort of merry-go-round to 
move their light machinery. But the 
mechanical work performed solely by 
manual labor at this period, repre- 
sented more properly the infant in- 
dustries of Meriden. 

Adjoining the homes of many of the 
inhabitants, notably several branches 
of the ubiquitous Curtis family, were 
little shops where pewter table wares 
were made by the men and boys of 
the family, and several large shops, 
employing many hands, were active 
in producing tin ware of an infinite 
variety, those of Patrick Clark & Sons, 
of Clarksville, Goodrich and Rutty, 
south of the Center and Noah Pome- 
roy at the east side being the most 
notable. These goods were marketed 
exclusively by peddlers whose peri- 
grinations extended over all sections 
of our then inhabited country. This 
method of disposing of the goods was 
necessary in that period which was 
prior to the era of interstate com- 
merce stimulated by railroads and 
express companies, as common car- 
riers, and the telegraph with its 
sympathetic nerves of intelligence. 
The rate of postage on a single letter, 
payable in Spanish coin, the only 
kind in circulation at that time, was 
from six and a quarter cents to twen- 
ty-five according to distance and if the 
letter was in two pieces or more, no 
matter how small, the rate was dou- 
ble or more in proportion to the 
number of pieces. Envelopes had not 
then been invented and if they had 
been used, would have incurred dou- 
ble postage. 

I believe that all the manufacturing 
industries of 1830 which afforded a 
livelihood for the people of Meriden 
with perhaps one exception (the au- 
gur works near Yalesville) have whol- 
ly disappeared. A little later there 
were other branches of industry, de- 
pending on the fashions of the times, 
which had a spasmodic and ephemeral 
existence. 



326 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



CARPET BAGS AND HOOP SKIRTS. 

Such was the manufacture of the 
real, original carpet bags which fell 
into disrepute after the Civil war, 
and of corsets, hoop-skirts, and bal- 
morals which like all feminine habili- 
ments had their day and went out of 
fashion. These constituted a large 
business, and the versatile proprietor, 
Jedediah Wilcox, who recognized no 
such word as discouragement, had 
the happy faculty of jumping from a 
sinking ship to another that would 
float, and so kept in touch with the 
various phases of feminine attire of 
that period. 

men's neckwear. 
Probably only a few of this audi- 
ence know that an article of neckwear 
called a "stock" was once manufac- 
tured extensively by Allen and Heze- 
kiah Rice. Before its introduction, 
the prevailing fashion demanded a 
long and broad neckcloth, generally 
white, around the neck, which was of- 
ten worn without a collar. The stock 
was made of silk or satin, covering a 
frame-work of bristles, three or four 
inches wide, and clasped around the 
neck by a buckle behind. The bris- 
tles were more effective as a stiffener 
than the starch which Beau Brummel, 
a generation before, had introduced 
and caused to be adopted throughout 
the civilized world. The only ex- 
cuse for such a monstrosity as the 
"stock" was, that it acted as a buf- 
fer to make easy the transition from 
the old-fashioned neckcloth to the 
modern tie which has since prevailed. 
While the fashion lasted it gave em- 
ployment to many women and girls 
in Meriden, but after a short period, 
like the other ill-fated Infant Indus- 
tries, it vanished from sight. 

WOODEN CLOCKS. 

The manufacture of wooden wheel 
clocks was profitably carried on 
for a few years by Ira Tvviss & 
Brothers, who built their factory at 
the head of Prattsville pond in the 
third decade of the century. I am 
tempted here to wander from the 
strict line of my subject to tell of 
one or two historical incidents sug- 
gested by the clock industry. 

The evolution of clock making in 
our country through its many phases 
from the old "grandfather's hall 
clock" to the dollar variety which 



can now be seen in the poorest cabin, 
is an interesting story, especially so 
to me, because my grandfather, 
Phineas Pratt, of Saybrook, was a 
noted clock maker in his day. He 
was so skillful that he constructed a 
submarine boat, the first ever made, 
so far as we know. This was during 
the war of the Revolution and the 
boat which was named "The Amer- 
ican Turtle," was engaged in two at- 
tempts to blow up the flagship "Asia" 
of the British fleet lying at anchor 
in East river. New York. The boat 
lay under the hull of the "Asia" for 
about two hours in the attempt to 
fasten a torpedo to the hull. This 
attempt was not successful, but re- 
sulted in an explosion near to the 
ship which caused the sudden depart- 
ure of the fleet from East river and 
a retreat to the lower bay. The his- 
torian of the incident closes his ac- 
count by the statement that "the ter- 
ror it inspired among British officers 
and seamen undoubtedly did much 
toward preventing the raids along 
our coast and other damages by thf> 
British fleet." 

A full account of the boat and its 
achievements was published in the 
New York Commercial Advertiser, 
November 15th, 1821, when many 
witnesses were ^till living to verify 
it and the same account was repub- 
lished with illustrations in the New 
York Herald of September 5th, 1897. 
The grandfather clock, constructed 
throughout by hand labor, was neces- 
sarily expensive, and, early in the 
century, cheap mantel clocks with 
wooden wheels were made in Water- 
bury, first by Lemuel Harrison, the 
reputed inventor, and the business 
had assumed large proportoions in 
1820 to 1830, when Ira Twiss & 
Bros.* built their factory in Meriden. 
The clocks were distributed by ped- 
dlers, all over the country, and ev- 
eiybody that could afford it, bought 
one, but having used it, never bought 
another. The contraction and ex- 
pansion of the wood responding to 
atmospheric changes caused confus- 
ion and chaos in the works, and the 
peddlers became shy of going over 
the route twice. The novelty, while 
it lasted was profitable to the manu- 
facturers, but/ that was another of the 
industries that died in inf,ancy. 

In the year 1835 or about that 
time, Chauncey Jerome of Bristol de- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



327 



vised machinery with dies for stamp- 
ing out cloclc wheels from brass 
plates of suitable thickness, and com- 
menced the manufacture of brass 
wheel clocks. Numerous other man- 
ufacturers in Bristol, Terryville, 
Plymouth and Waterbury followed 
his lead and thus the great clock in- 
dustry has continued, until now, 
when a million time pieces are said 
to be turned out in a month by a 
single establishment in Connecticut. 
Bradley & Hubbard were enga.iicd in 
this manufacture in Meriricn about 
the middle of the last century, the 
cases being made of original iron 
work. The genius of this enterpris- 
ing firm was adapted to a more ;aii- 
bitious achievement tban that of 
Eiarking the pace of Old Father Time, 
and they abandoned it for one which 
has been always ahead of other peo- 
ple's time, and another of Meriden 
industries perished in infancy. 

JOHN BULL, PEDDLER OF YANKEE CLOCKS. 

Before leaving the subject of clock 
making, I may be pardoned for al- 
luding to a remarkable incident with- 
in my perusal of knowledge, by which 
the British government, owing to ob- 
tuseness in recognizing the potency 
of Yankee inventive skill, uncon- 
sciously became the active promotor 
of a vast trade in Yankee clocks 
throughout the whole United Empire. 
Chauncey Jerome, stimulated by nis 
great success in the manufacture of 
the needy invented time-pieces, ex- 
ported to Liverpool in the oarly 
forties a large invoice of the goods, 
on which he fixed a valuation of one 
guinea each, a price which afforded 
a satisfactory profit. 

The custom house officers at Liv- 
erpool seized the cargo, because of 
undervaluation, believing Uiat the 
clocks could not be produced at the in- 
voice price. In conformity with Eng- 
lish laws, they paid the amount of 
invoice, and the government ac- 
quired possession of the goods. Mr. 
Jerome, pleased with this easy .lud 
unexpected sale, sent another and 
much larger cargo, with the same 
valuation, and by the same process 
made another immense salt to a cash 
customer. Confident that he coujd 
endure that kind of pun'shmcnt as 
long as John Bull cared to inflict it, 
he sent a third cargo with a simJJar 
result. The British government then 



waked up to the fa?t ihat th^y had 
encountered a commercial problem 
which required them t.o finQ a mar- 
ket for a new and, at (i"st, u isalable 
class of merchandise, md vhen I vis- 
ited England in 1846 (crossing in the 
one only steamer that plying between 
New York and Europe) I found in the 
cities of Liverpool, Mancnes^ar, Bir- 
mingham and London small booths 
and stores erected by the govei7im'3nt 
in various sections of tho.se cities, 
with conspicuous signs, advertising 
"American Clocks" for sale, and thus 
with the greatest assiduity, the Brit- 
ish government, with its ill-imitable 
facilities was drumming up custom- 
ers for Yankee goods. A comfortable 
fortune for the enterprising i»Ir. 
Jerome was the result. 

The Ivory Comb factory of Julius 
Pratt & Co., (successor to Howard 
Pratt & Co.) at the time we ai-e now 
considering, was the most advanced of 
any in Meriden, in labor saving ma- 
chinery. The cutting, or more prop- 
erly sawing of the fine teeth Sf. the 
comb was a very delicate process, 
producing teeth varying in thickness 
from one-thirtieth to one-eightieth of 
an inch. The saws were circular, 
about three inches in diameter and 
thin as paper, and were imported from 
France. The other parts of the ma- 
chinery were made by mechanics in 
the factory. The machine was auto- 
matic, requiring only that the blank 
or plate of ivory, already formed in 
comb shape, should be fixed in posi- 
tion, and then, by touching a spring 
the machine would produce a complete 
comb and stop when its work was 
done. There was not one failure in a 
thousand times of operation and one 
girl could easily manage five machines 
simultaneously. 

There were about twenty processes 
between the crude tusk of ivory and 
the finished products, all of them per- 
formed by the aid of machines, most of 
which were invented by mechanics em- 
ployed in the factory. The tusks of 
ivory were from five to eight feet long 
weighing an average of sixty to eighty 
pounds each, and were imported from 
Zanzibar which was the center of all 
the ivory traffic of Eastern and Central 
Africa and controlled absolutely by the 
sultan of Zanzibar. 

Miniature portraits on ivory were in 
vogue at the time, for Daguerre had 



;28 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



not then captured the elusive rays of 
the sun and forced them into the ser- 
vice of making pictures. A miniature 
painter in New York, named Hite, was 
desirous of painting family groups on 
a large scale and offered a liberal sum 
for ivory sheets a foot square or more, 
the sheets in ordinary use being re- 
stricted to four or five inches, the di- 
ameter of the tusk inside the enamel. 
Benjamin Stedman, the head machinist 
of the establishment, assisted by Fen- 
ner Bush invented a machine for saw- 
ing thin sheets of ivory around the 
block, by the same process which, 
inc-e that time, has been adopted for 
sawing wood veneers. By the appli- 
cation of water for softening the ivory, 
this machine produced sheets four- 
teen inches wide and of any desired 
length. A specimen was sent to ''he 
World's fair in LfOndon in 1851, four- 
teen inches wide and fifty-two feet 
long and was accorded the most con- 
spicuous position, hanging from the 
dome* of the Crystal Palace. I may 
be permitted to mention also that in 
the Smithsonian Institution at Waja- 
ington, among the government relics, 
may be seen a solid ivory cane witii 
heavy gold mountings which was pre- 
sented to John Quincy Adams by Ju- 
lius Pratt & Co., in testimony of his 
brave fight ' in Congress for the right 
of free speech. The goods produced 
by Julius Pratt & Co., more perfect 
and cheaper than the hand-made pro- 
ducts of European manufacture, found 
their way to all countries where com- 
merce had gained a foothold. Tne 
ivory comb factory of Walter Webb & 
Co.. first at Crow Hollow and after- 
ward at Hanover, was, in a sense, aux- 
iliary to that of Julius Pratt & Co., tlie 
partners in the former being partners 
in the latter also, and the purchases 
and sales were made on joint account. 
In 1848 the factory of Julius Pratt & 
Co. was destroyed by fire, and in or- 
der to supply the trade, the Hanover 
works were operated continuously 
night and day for more than a year at 
a profit amounting to 100 per cent, m 
the capital. The reconstructed fac- 
tory at Prattsville was quite superior 
in style and convenience to that at 
Hanover and Mr. Pratt in a bantering 
way called Mr. Webb's attention to +he 
contrast, to which Mr. Webb replied, 
"it is not the best looking fiddle that 
plays the best tune." The verification 



of the remark appeared in the respec- 
tive dividends. 

These two companies and another 
in Deep River became consolidated in 
1803, and constituted one of the first, 
so-called, "trusts" in the country. The 
business of the new company became 
extensive and profitable, including a 
large establishment in Deep River, 
which, by the introduction of machin- 
ery, superseded the old method of 
hand-work in the making of piano 
and organ keys and secured the pat- 
ronage and trade of nearly all the 
piano and organ makers in the coun- 
try. In the course of time the new in- 
vention of cheaper materials, hard 
rubber and celluloid and the increas- 
ing scarcity of ivory, caused a collapse 
of the manufacture of ivory goods, 
and thus another of the infant indus- 
tries of Meriden disappeared. 

HIGH CHARACTER AND INTELLIGENCE. 

In passing it may be interesting to 
notice the difference in personality of 
the operatives employed at that per- 
iod and those of the present time. 
In all the mills and factories of the 
former period the operatives were al- 
most without exception native born, 
of respectable families, and had re- 
ceived a good common school educa- 
tion. In the city of Lowell, Mass., 
a monthly magazine of good literary 
merit was edited and conducted ex- 
clusively by the operatives of the cot- 
ton mills, and many of them of both 
sexes went forth into the arena of 
social and public life and became in- 
fluential members of society. Sev- 
eral of the girls employed in the 
Prattsville comb factory gratified their 
ambition for the higher education at 
Mount Holyoke seminary, and as 
many as eight of them became the 
wives of gospel ministers. 

One of the feminine graduates of the 
Plattsville factory is the author of the 
interesting and well written book, the 
perusal of which has doubtless afford- 
ed much pleasure to the citizens of 
Meriden. Of the men who went into 
a larger life, I will mention one es- 
pecially noticeable. The dullest boy 
in the factory, who was generally 
ridiculed for his stupidity, happened, 
at the age of fourteen, to stray into 
the library of Fenner Bush and re- 
ceived a new inspiration and desire 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



329 



for mental Improvement. He was 
encouraged by the benevolent and 
genial owner of the books and spent 
such time as was available in reading. 
This was followed by a desire for a 
better education, and having saved 
his earnings he went to a school of 
the higher order, and by work and 
teaching at intervals was graduated 
and studied law. He became the 
most eminent lawyer at the New York 
bar in criminal law practice and sub- 
sequently the special counsel and at- 
torney of Commodore Vanderbilt with 
a compensation which brought to him 
large wealth and social position. He 
formed a matrimonial connection with 
one of the time honored families of 
"Western New York. His name was 
Henry L. Clinton. 

PATERNAL RELATION OF EMPLOYER. 

The relation of Julius Pratt to his 
employes was eminently paternal. 
He felt responsible for the good be- 
havior of every one of them and the 
rigid rules he required them to ob- 
serve were enforced with an iron 
hand. No applicant for employment 
was accepted until a thorough inves- 
tigation of his or her antecedents and 
character had been made. 

In their boarding houses their po- 
sition was that of members of a well- 
regulated family, and at 10 o'clock 
each night the outside doors were 
locked and they retired to rest. The 
office of the factory was shut off from 
the working room by a glass partition, 
through which Mr. Pratt's observant 
eye could take cognizance of the fidel- 
ity and behavior of the employed. His 
severe method of go^'<?rnment, how- 
ever, was tempered with a kind and 
unostentatious generosity to those 
who needed his aid, especially in ac- 
quiring a better education, and long 
after he had passed away, his benefici- 
aries, some times with moistened 
eyes, gratefully recounred the favors 
bestowed by their "dear Father 
Pratt." 

MORAL PRINCIPLE VS. COMMERCIALISM. 

He was a man of strong convictions, 
which he expressed in language often 
forcible and some times flavored with 
humor, as will appear from an inci- 
dent which brought him unwillingly 



into public notice, and furnished some 
political capital for the newspapers 
and politicians during the exciting 
period preparatory to our national civ- 
il conflict. It was the time when great 
alarm was felt among northern man- 
ufacturers and merchants having 
business relations in the southern 
states, at the prospect of commercial 
losses., inevitable in tne * event of 
war, and many such hastened to re- 
cord themselves as opposed to the so- 
called coercion of the south. Those 
who failed to join the movement were 
put upon a black list to be published 
throughout the southern cities. 

Interested parties and politicians in 
Connecticut proposed to hold a state 
convention to express their sympathy 
with the southern cause, and the com- 
mittee of arrangements visited Julius 
Pratt and requested his signature to 
the call for a convention. He refused 
the request. They argued with him 
that his refusal to join the movement 
would deprive him ot all his south- 
ern customers, to which he replied, "If 
the southerners don't want my combs, 
they can go lousy." This remark had 
a special significance, because Mr. 
Pratt and his business associates pro- 
duced all that species of goods In the 
market. 

TABLE CUTLERY. 

Of the manufacture of table cut- 
lery, which was in full operation to- 
wards the close of the second quar- 
ter of the century. I may rescue from 
oblivion some facts which the search- 
light of your astute historian failed to 
discover. It was one of the infant in- 
dustries which, when protected with 
even a thirty per cent, tariff duty, had 
a long and severe struggle for life 

About the year 1S36 two voung 
men named Evans and Longdon cut- 
lers by trade, came from Sheffield, 
i^ngland, to start the manufacture of 
table cutlery in this country. Ap- 
palled by the high wages paid "for me- 
chanical labor here, ($1.25 to $1 50 
per day) they established their works 
at the Wethersfield state prison 
where they paid the state for convict 
labor thirty cents and forty cents per 
day- The convicts were of all ages 
and many of them confined for such 



330 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



short terms that they could not ac- 
quire any useful knowledge of the 
work to be done. Their reckless hab- 
its caused great destruction of the 
valuable material used, especially the 
ivory of which the handles were made 
and in about two years the English- 
men became bankrupt. Their agent 
in New York had advanced several 
thousand dollars in promoting their 
enterprise- and in the hope of recover- 
ing the debt he assumed the busi- 
ness and in about two years more he 
was obliged to suspend. 

Julius Pratt & Co. had supplied 
the ivory handles for which the afore- 
said agent was owing a considerable 
sum, and they in turn, hoping to re- 
cover the claim assumed the business. 
Two years of experiment proved to 
them that ruin awaited any persons 
who attempted to make ivory handle 
cutlery by the employment of prison 
labor. Walter Webb & Co. had a va- 
cant shop and abundant water power 
at Hanover, and a man of practical 
experience was found in the person of 
David N. Ropes of Saccarappa, Me. 
Thus was formed in 1845 the firm of 
Pratt, Ropes, Webb & Co. Mr. Ropes 
was a man of great energy and per- 
severance and soon learned that com- 
petition with European cheap labor 
could be overcome only by the in- 
\ vention and use of labor saving ma- 
chinery. He was himself a skillful 
mechanic, and, with others whom he 
employed, invented successively many 
machines, by which he at last pro- 
duced better and cheaper goods than 
those produced in England and Ger- 
many. 

A sound argument in favor of a 
protective tariff, at that time, is 
found in the fact that under the most 
favoring circumstances, such as good 
water power, intelligent operatives 
and indomitable energy, Mr. Ropes 
devoted ten years of untiring labor 
in building up this new industry, 
witnout one dollar of profit, which 
time added to the six years of total 
loss at Wethersfield makes sixteen 
years of anxious, uncompensated toil 
in establishing the cutlery manufact- 
ure on a paying basis. 

But Yankee ingenuity and persist- 
ency finally prevailed, and in 1855, 
with increased capital and acquired 
experience, the incorporated Meriden 
Cutlery company emerged from dis- 



couraging conditions and, having sur- 
vived the teething period, commenced 
a prosperous career, which with some 
interruptions has continued for fifty 
years. 

The business, originating in the 
siiops of Mr. Ropes in 1834 and in 
the Wethersfield prison in 183 6, be- 
coming merged and established in 
Meriden in 1845, can claim priority 
as the pioneer of table cutlery man- 
ufacture in , the United States. 

During the early period of this bus- 
iness the trade generally demanded 
an equal number of knives and forks, 
the forks being made with two prongs. 
The prevailing habit, at the time, of 
conveying food to the mouth with 
the knife, was justified so long as two- 
tined forks only could be had. 

Mr. Ropes assisted in bringing in 
the new era of eating with forks, by 
making his steel forks with three and 
finally with four tines. 

Subsequently the invention of white 
metal or silver plated forks supersed- 
ed the use of steel, and revolutionized 
the eating habit among people who 
sought to be polite and conventional 
and the manufacture of steel forks has 
been continued only for those belated 
and undeveloped inhabitants who can- 
not easily change their habits of life, 
and for whose benefit some ingenious 
Yankee may yet invent a combination 
knife and shovel. 

ADVENT OF STEAM POWER. 

The steam engine invented by 
James Watt and brought into practi- 
cal use by him in 1775 has been the 
foundation of most of the great mod- 
ern industries of the world, and be- 
yond question has been the primary 
cause of prosperity in the town of 
Meriden. 

It was not until after 1850 that the 
steam engine, by devices for high 
pressure and compound expansion 
had become so perfected that it could 
be applied advantageously as a great 
motive power for general use. 

Those of us whose memories reach 
back to 1838 can remember when the 
first locomotive peered through the 
narrow cut at Holt's Hill and rushed 
down the incline to the Comers (then 
a suburb of Meriden) at a speed of 
twelve miles an hour over wooden 
rails topped off with strap iron. Care- 
ful inquiry has established the fact 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



331 



that a little prior to that date a 
small stationary steam engine was op- 
erated in the tinning factory of Re- 
mick K. Clark, which after a brief 
period was destroyed by fire. Charles 
Parker appears to have introduced the 
next one in order and thereafter to 
have continued to operate his works 
by steam power. This machine, the 
only one in Meriden in 1847, was the 
Avant coureur of an approaching host 
which would soon relegate to obscur- 
ity the little waterfalls which had hith- 
erto feebly turned the wheels of in- 
dustry and by their might and illimita- 
ble forces, converted the town of Mer- 
iden into a busy, bustling community 
whose varied products of art and util- 
ity would be distributed throughout 
every part of the civilized world. 

Your able historian, Dr. Davis, by 
his vast research and patient toil has 
depicted the many wonderful indus- 
tries which have brought wealth and 
prosperity to this enterprising com- 
munity, and I shall not invade the 
field which he has occupied so com- 
pletely. I will refer briefly to some 
of the prominent characters which I 
remember as initiating and propelling 
the great manufacturing enterprises of 
Meriden. First among these, I think 
all will concede, should be named 
Charles Parker, whose quiet but irre- 
sistible career continued with ever ex- 
panding force from 1832 until after 
many years of indomitable work he be- 
came disabled by physical infirmity 
and even then for a long time con- 
tinued to direct the enterprises he had 
created, by a mind unimpaired in 
vigor and unexhausted in resources. 
In view of the magnitude, variety, 
success, and long-continued activity in 
his industrial achievements he earned 
the title of Patriarch in the great 
family of Meriden manufacturers. 

SILVER PLATED WARES. 

The manufacture of silver plated 
goods, which I understand has been 
the most extensive ana important of 
all in Meriden, I remember only in its 
incipient stages of development. My 
remembrance of the men who were 
most active in promoting this industry 
is as follows: 

About the close of the first half of 
the century, three brotners who had 
grown to manhood on a New England 



farm, came from an adjoining town to 
exercise their powers in the broader 
arena of commercial life open to them 
in Meriden. 

Self-reliance and perseverance with 
the Yankee trading instinct constitut- 
ed their only capital. They chose the 
vocation of commercial travelers, then 
called peddlers. The oldest, not find- 
ing the goods that suited his taste, 
commenced taking those for which 
there was at the time a demand, and 
especially such as were adapted to 
feminine wants, and necessarily sub- 
ject to feminine caprice which de- 
mands something new and different 
from time to time. For a while the 
goods were hoop skirts and other ar- 
ticles of apparel, and finally balmoral 
skjrts. The business, in harmony with 
the skirts, grew to large proportions, 
and then after the novelty had ceased 
was discontinued. 

The other two of the Drothers, at a 
later date, directed their energy to- 
ward marketing the pewter goods, 
made in a small way by many differ- 
ent artisans throughout the town. It 
was about this time that a great im- 
provement was made in England by 
a new process of compound pewter 
metal, and it was introduced into this 
country under the name of britannia. 
The art of electrotyping, said to have 
been invented by Rogers Brothers in 
1847. soon followed, with the result of 
producing a fair imitation of silver at 
one-fifth the cost of sterling metal. 
The great opportunity thus created for 
a new enterprise was seized upon by 
the two young men, who saw in it an 
avenue opened to all the homes of a 
great and growing population of our 
country, for a new trade of bound- 
less possibilities. History teaches us 
that in all great crisis and emergen- 
cies of human experiences, there are 
men who always rise to the front pre- 
pared and equipped to grapple with 
the new problems that confront their 
times. The great occasfon had arrived 
for Meriden to awake from its com- 
paratively quiet life and enter upon 
an era of immense activity In the pro- 
duction of an infinite variety of 
wares for which millions of consum- 
ers were already waiting, and the men 



332 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



who initiated and organized the 
forces for such achievement were Hor- 
ace C. and Dennis C. Wilcox, the 
farmer boys from Westfield. 

I Ivnew them when they began their 
career. My audience knows their sub- 
sequent history better than I, and I 
only bear testimony to their influence 
as the most prominent among the 
founders of the Meriden silver plate 
industry. 

NEW ERA OF EXPANSION. 

Having traced the history of the in- 
cipient industries of Meriden, by a 
memory, not infallible, from the days 
of my childhood to the time when, at 
the middle of the last century they be- 
gan to assume a national significance 
and were imensely stimulated by the 
new facilities afforded by steam pow- 
er, railroads, telegraph, cheap postage, 
and later by the enormous increase of 
our commerce and our rapidly growing 
population, I leave the subject at the 
close of the first half of the last cen- 
tury, from which time you are better 
informed that I, of wondrous achieve- 
ments, and fortunes made and some 
times lost, and of small industries ex- 
panded into corporations with mil- 
lions of capital, most of which can 
now be found recorded on the page of 
written history. 

THE ADVERSE SIDE. 

The development of these infant in- 
dustries during the germinating period 
was not exempt from some adverse in- 
fluences, the most remarkable of which 
may properly be included as one chap- 
ter in their hostory. There was an 
era of "Frenzied Finance" covering a 
decade or more of the period embraced 
by my subject, which, in my memory, 
seems like a diabolical romance. 

The wizard who manipulated its 
mysterious movements appeared first 
as a meek and pious boy, and begin- 
ning a clerk gained the confidence of 
his employer, who, incidental to his 
mercantile business, acted as an in- 
surance agent. At his death, the clerk 
became his successor in that vocation, 
and his first move was to effect an ex- 
tra hazardous life insurance for his 
own benefit, from which by the sudden, 
although expected death of the in- 
sured, the alert young adventurer real- 



ized $3,000. With this, as his incip- 
ient capital he began his career. The 
term hustler as now understood docs 
not begin to describe the impetuosity j 
with which he pursued his new voca- ■ 
tion. ■ 

Those who have read Dickens' de- 
scription of Pancks, the collector of 
rents in Bleeding Heart yard, may find 
a parallel character in the manner and 
method of the subject of this history. 

He was like a tug having in tow a 
larger craft, for he always contrived 
to hook his arm into that of his victim 
and tow him away to his fate. Even 
the snort of his mighty nose which he 
blew off like steam from the tug boat's 
engine was literally true to life. 
Panck's motto was his motto, "Rattle 
me out of bed early, set me going, give 
me as short a time as you like to bolt 
my meals in, and keep me at it. Keep 
me always at it, I'll keep you always 
at it, you keep somebody else always 
at it. There you are, with the Whole 
Duty of Man in a commercial coun- j 
try." I 

By acquiring agencies from all the '"' 
principal Fire and Life Insurance 
companies, he skillfully played one 
against another on his chess-board un- 
til from very fear of his power to in- 
jure them, they acceded to his pre- 
posterous demands for special privil- 
eges and allowances. 

His bailiwick included not only Mer- 
iden but all the state and the amount 
of insurance he undertook was equal 
to that of some of the respective com- 
panies he represented. 

With a pair of fast horses he would 
arrive at some mercantile or manufac- 
turing establishment and rushing in 
would befog the proprietor with his 
hypnotic eye and verbal persuasiveiiisss 
which were irresistible, and before his 
victim could recover consciousness, he 
would have insured everything in 
sight, including the life of the propri- 
etor and with the papers in his pocket 
would soon be far away, practicing his 
art on another helpless subject. 

In one instance, after insuring a large 
factory, machinery, office furniture, book 
accounts and bills receivable, he no- 
ticed through the window a huge pile 
of pig iron outside, and by consent of 
the owner added that to the list. After 
his departure, when the proprietor had 
recovered from the mesmeric trance, his 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



333 



reason reverted to the fact that pig 
iron would not burn, and he soliloquized 
for a while, taking as his subject of 
thought that he was a dumb fool. The 
fleetest horses of the day were not fast 
enough for this adventurer and with 
prophetic vision fifty years in advance of 
the automobile, he had constructed a 
steam road carriage, the wreck of which 
on Berlin Hill was a favorite show for 
the boys of the period. The Sundays of 
this strange character were not days of 
rest, but of a more intense activity. In 
time of a religious revival I have known 
him to attend seven services in a day, 
5 o'clock prayer meeting, q o'clock 
prayer meeting, morning preaching, 
noon Sunday school, afternoon preach- 
ing. Young People's early prayer meet- 
ing, and evening church conference 
meeting. In these he was conspicuous 
and active in exhortation and prayer. 

Religion was a large part of his work- 
ing capital, and he was the most lib- 
eral contributor in the church. 

Then commenced his career as a h.unk- 
er. Inexperienced women deluded by 
his pious pretensions, brought their sav- 
ings for him to invest, and avaricious 
men of large means were enticed by his 
promises of excessive gain to jeopardize 
their fortunes by lending him their nnn- 
ey or endorsement. 

A considerable part of his capital con- 
sisted of his own checks on banks in 
Hartford, Waterbury, New Haven and 
New York, where he had only small or 
no deposits, and with fast horses he 
would in a single day make his round of 
eighty miles, retiring his checks at one 
bank by depositing his checks on an- 
other at disastrous rate of exchange. It 
was said that in this way he kept ulioat 
$75,000. 

He established a bank in the remotest 
southeast corner of New Jersey at a 
point inaccessible by railroad, and at 
times, by the invaf^ion of water — unap- 
proachable. From this secluded den 
he theoretically issued notes of the bank 
and put them in circulation in Connec- 
ticut to a large amount after making the 
redemption of them impracticable. 

But all things mundane have an end 
and so it happened one day that there 
was seen in Meriden a long procession 
of mourners at the funeral of their dis- 
appointed hopes. The elusive conjurer 
was unmasked and revealed to some the 
character of a pschycological freak and 
to others an atrocious hypocrite. His 



career in Meriden ended in or about 
the year 1855, and continuel in a Chi- 
cago jail, then in a small tenement 
house in the negro quarter of Camden,. 
N. J., where he conducted a Sunday 
school, and ended in North Carolina as 
a preacher. The slimy trail of his tor- 
tuous course left its mark on Meriden 
life for many years. 

His name need not be mentioned. 
It is probably known to most of you 
and if not, it is better to blot it from 
the historic page. 

But while Meriden has been af- 
flicted witn one blighting humau 
curse, it has in felicitous contrast 
had its public benefactors. Of these, 
my audience know more than I can 
teil them, but tliere are two, at least, 
easily discoverable by only casual 
visitors, that cannot be too often 
brought into grateful remembrance. 
The pessimists of the day tell us 
that the world is growing worse. It 
is true that religious dogmas and 
creeds are less respected now than 
formerly, but it is also true that a 
vital Christianity which expresses it- 
self in ministries of kindness and. 
love toward the unfortunate, such as 
the Master taught and practiced, is 
far more prevalent than ever before 
in the history of the world and in ev- 
ery community in our country men 
and women are found to relieve hu- 
man want. 

To my mind no grander example of 
practical Christianity has been wit- 
nessed in human history than the re- 
cent uprising of a nation of 80,000,- 
000 people to bestow their beneficent 
gifts upon the homeless inhabitants 
of a destroyed city; gifts so munifi- 
cent that more than one hundred dol- 
lars each could be distributed to 
every man, woman and child in a 
population of 250,000. 

The wealth acquired by honest and 
sometimes dishonest industry flows 
back in a stream of beneficence to 
suffering humanity when its possess- 
or realizes his obligations to use his 
wealth as a trust for the benefit of 
others, and such beneficence appears 
in Meriden in the form of the Curtis 
home. 

It has seemed to me sometimes 
that the commercial spirit has dom- 
inated too much the Meriden life to 
the exclusion of the higher motives 
that should adorn human character. 



334 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



If that has ever been true, we now 
And a memorable exception in that 
noble and beautiful adornment of the 
town, where all its inhabitants may 
seek innocent pleasure and recreat- 
ion, where communion with nature 
invites the soul to shake off the dress 
of toil and rise to the restful plane 
of higher thought; where the land- 
scaping art has left its most beauti- 
ful impress, because the hills and 
valleys, the rocks and forest all com- 
bine to accentuate the work of the 
landscape engineer. Fortunate in- 
deed is the community with such an 
environment capable of such wonder- 
ful beauty, and more fortunate that 
a man has arisen here, inspired by 
the beneficent impulse to confer upon 
the people of Meriden so noble a gift 
as Hubbard park. The oft recurring 
verdure of that rural retreat, in the 
ages to come, will keep green the 
memory of its founder and constitute 
for him a monument more enduring 
than bronze. 



BY REV. SAMUEL HART, D. D. 
Rev.. Samuel Hart, D.D., D.C.L., vice- 
dean of the Berkeley Divinity school 
of Middletown and president of the 
Connecticut Historical society, made 
the following interesting address: 

"Hesterni sumus," "We are but of 
yesterday," wrote a Christian of the 
early days, addressing the emperor in 
defense of his faith and practice. 
"Yet," he added, "we have filled every 
place of yours, cities and castles, is- 
lands and camps, the senate and the 
forum." Your town, Mr. President, 
seems but of yesterday, as we come 
from towns which celebrated their 
quarter-millenial twenty or ten years 
ago, constituent parts of the ancient 
republics which have been for much 
more than two centuries united In 
the one colony and state of Connecti- 
cut. We know then when, a hundred 
years ago, Meriden was incorporated 
as a town, it was by no means a new 
settlement, and we do not forget that 
it had at that time an interesting and 
not unimportant history; but we can 
hardly come from Wethersfield and 
Windsor and Hartford, from Saybrook 
and New London, from New Haven 
and Guilford, to keep your Centennial 



without a slight feeling of pride uial 
our several centennials are matters of 
very ancient history, before the Revo- 
lution and even before the great 
awakening. But though in years you 
are not of our generation, and we 
must reckon you as in some way de- 
scendants by more than one degree 
removed from our origin, we confess 
to-day as we have conressed often be- 
fore, though we may not have told 
3'ou of it^ that the fame of your life 
and prosperity has filled every place 
of ours, and that some places perhaps 
which know us best as historical mon- 
uments of quiet homes, are constant- 
ly reminded of your nusy activities 
and of the usefulness of the works of 
your hands. Certainly you have 
proved your right to be accounted 
men of the present; certainly you may 
make a strong claim to a place among 
the men of the future. 

But we, who as your guests, repre- 
sent historical societies, may leave the 
present to tell its own story, as It does 
in this most successful and enthusi- 
astic commemoration, and have con- 
fidence enough in you to know that 
you will hold in the future the posi- 
tion which you have secured. We 
must look backward to the past, and 
read the annals which for the town of 
Meriden are prehistoric, and show the 
place which was destmed for the 
town, and the way in which the town 
took its place and grew up into it and 
in it. For, as your historian has re- 
minded you or will remind you, the 
lot of your ancestors here was laid in 
a border land, and the romance of 
border controversy, such as it is, is 
not lacking here. Along the Great 
River to the east there was from the 
eai'ly days a succession of towns of 
generous size, each spanning the 
stream, the space between the town 
of the ancient fortification at the 
river's mouth and the three towns of 
early settlement above being filled in 
by Haddam and Middletown. To the 
east the Thames and its confluents in 
like manner determlnea the site of 
New London and Norwich. All these 
towns belonged to the ancient govern- 
ment of Connecticut; ana It also sent 
rorth settlements which held in its 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



335 



name Stratford and Fairfield and 
Norwalk, bordering on the Sound. The 
other government of New Haven, Its 
chief town in like manner to the oth- 
ers also spanning a river, had two 
lesser settlements on practically a po- 
litical equality, Guilford and Stam- 
ford, and two others in not quite the 
same position, Branford and Milford, 
not to mention Southoid on Long Is- 
land. Also at an early date, the up 
river towns had pushed westward and 
occupied, or at least taken possession 




REV. SAMUEL HART, D. D. 

of the great tract of Farmington. The 
spot on which we now stand, the site 
of busy manufactories and prosperous 
marts of trade and pieasant homes, 
lay between this town of farmers and 
the borderland of the district into 
which New Haven had pushed to- 
ward the north. It was a real border- 
land in the days of the two separate 
colonies, it did not lose all the pecu- 
liarities of a border-land till long af- 
ter the charter of Charles II. had been 
granted and New Haven had found 
herself merged in the colony of Con- 
necticut. 



It is well worth our while, there- 
fore, to look back to those earliest 
days, and thus ledrn the frame, as we 
may call it, of the later history which 
has a special interest for us here and 
now. The settlers of the river towns, 
Wethersfield, Windsor and Hartford, 
had come as a colony from Massachu- 
setts Bay, bringing with them a con- 
stituted civil authority, one colony 
from the first though they settled in 
three communities Their leaders 
were men of strong character and of 
strong will under the restraint of 
sound judgment. They founded a 
commonwealth intended to be puri- 
tanically religious on its religious 
side, but in which citizenship was not 
dependent on church membership and 
laws had their binding foi-ce from the 
will of those who were to be governed 
by them. It was a settlement made by 
practical men under the guidance of 
a practical teacher and a practical 
lawyer, Thomas Hooker and Roger 
Ludlow. An offshoot from this colo- 
ny, as I was just saying, lay to the 
north and east of the site of your 
town, and it claimed jurisdiction over 
at least a part of your present terri- 
tory. 

The other company of colonists 
which took up their home at the fair 
haven — or the New Haven— at the 
mouth of the Quinnipiack, had come 
from England by way of Boston. They 
were independents, and not strictly 
puritans, as were also the settlers of 
Plymouth, and there was among them 
a strange combination of a spirii, of 
ecclesiasticism and a spirit of com- 
mercial adventure; they were led by 
the theologian, John Davenport, and 
one wealthy merchant, Theophilus 
Eaton; and they expected to found a 
theocracy in which the saints should 
bear rule, and at the same time they 
hoped to increase the worldly pros- 
perity of which some of their num- 
ber had already a goodly share. Speak- 
ing generally we may say that the re- 
ligious and civil history of the grow- 
ing commonwealth was largely mould- 
ed by the founders of the River colo- 
ny, while we look to New Haven for 
the strong intellectual influences and 
for the sources of material prosperity 



336 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



fostered by invention and secured by 
trade. This last named colony had a 
claim based on purchase from the In- 
dians, to a parcel of land extending 
about a mile north of your railroad 
station. 

It was the citizens of Hartford and 
its neighbor towns who met in a 
General Assembly early in 1639 and, 
adopting the first writ'ten constitu- 
tion in history, "associated and con- 
joined themselves to be one public 
state or commonwealth." They made 
no recognition of king or parliament 
or of any devolved authority, but es- 
tablished the example and pattern of 
all the democracies in this land or 
elsewhere, and also of all the true 
federal government. The germ of the 
nation was in that assembly; but as 
its immediate consequence then 
sprang into existence an absolutely 
independent state. When soon after 
the restoration of the monarchy in 
England, a charter was asked and 
granted, it was not asked or granted 
for the bestowal of rights or the crea- 
tion of obligations; on the contrary, it 
contained a clear acknowledgment of 
the existing condition of things, and 
under it Connecticut made and exe- 
cuted her own laws, quietly and sob- 
erly, but consistently and efficiently, 
with "diplomatic skill, forethought 
and self control." 

This charter granted in 1662, ex- 
tended the boundaries of the colony 
of Connecticut so that it included all 
the territory of New Haven, not with 
New Haven's consent, but with its 
acquiescence when it was seen that 
the union was a political and practi- 
cal necessity; and it was soon ac- 
knowledged to be a decided advantage 
to both the colonies which it merged 
into one. At first the most ready 
communication in and between the two 
colonies, as also between our colonies 
and those of Massachuestts, was by 
water, at least while the rivers were 
free from ice. But presently roads 
were needed, as from Hartford to 
Farmington; and it must have been at 
an early day that a road was laid out 
between Hartford and New Haven, 
running in a course as nearly straight 
as the nature of the land would al- 
low, and probably following in large 



part an Indian trail. In this neigh- 
borhood its route lay along a conven- 
ient valley; it is the Colony street of 
your city and Wallingford. Along 
it there came from the south, in 1660, 
the representatives of New Haven with 
the Indian Montowese to place marks 
at the boundary of its lands; and in 
the next year Connecticut, having pro- 
tested against the stretching of claims 
into her jurisdiction, made a grant of 
land which extended as far as the 
disputed boundary. The story of all 
this will be told you, as it de- 
serves, in more detail; I but wish to re- 
mind you that, as I was saying, you 
live on what was once the border land 
between colonies which were not al- 
ways in full agreement, and that each 
of them reached out its hands to your 
Pilgrims' Harbor. We do not read 
of any strife or bloodshed here, but in 
the account of Connecticut's grant we 
read of the requirement that "a stone 
house or fort with port holes" should 
be built, accompanied by permission 
to keep a tavern there forever. This 
would be the half-way house of the 
long road, and it may well be that the 
same structure served for the purpose 
of warfare and for those of entertain- 
ment. The farm on which the fort 
and inn stood was called the Gilbert 
farm, from the name of the grantee, 
Jonathan Gilbert; but its ownership 
passed to Andrew Belcher, his son-in- 
law, a member of the provincial coun- 
cil of Massachuestts and a man of 
large estate for those times; from him 
it passed to his son Jonathan, who was 
for eleven years governor of Massachu- 
setts and New Hampshire, and later 
governor of New Jersey. As early as 
1664 it was called Meriden Farm or 
Meriden Manor, the significance of the 
name in our modern speech being 
Pleasant Valley; in 1725 Meriden be- 
came the name of the parish and in 
1768 that of the town. 

Your controversies did not end, per- 
haps, the need of a fort for possibly 
warring combatants did not end, al- 
most certainly there was still a call 
for a place of entertainment and for 
peaceful negotiations, when the union 
of the colonies had brought the juris- 
diction of Connecticut and that of New 
Haven under one chartered govern- 
ment. It is a curiously mixed story. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



337 



how the northern part of your 
present town was adjudged to 
belong to Hartford county, and how 
the title of the land was secured by the 
town of Wallingford, in New Haven 
county; as if this did not introduce 
confusion enough, how the general as- 
sembly, fearing that a claim might be 
made by a royal governor for all un- 
granted lands, assigned this selfsame 
tract to Middlotown and Farmington 
and Wethersfield, as a place "to plant 
a village in." Of course disputes 
broke out, and of course it was not an 
easy thing to settle the rival claims, 
and of course the strong arm of the 
legislature was involved to render a 
decision; and thus it came about that 
the parish of Meriden was established 
as a part of the town of Wallingford, 
and that the town of Meriden was cre- 
ated by a division of that ancient mu- 
nicipality. 

The strife, which must have been 
somewhat bitter in its day, involving 
personal rights as well as questions of 
jurisdiction, was, I am told, forgotten 
long ago; if we recall it, it is but as 
an interesting episode of history; 
which shows how our forefathers were 
trained in the principles of justice and 
self-restraint and patience; it is the in- 
ternal border-land story of our state. 

And it has a special interest as mak- 
ing this town, which carried on the 
life of an older parish or district, or 
"school society" — to use a term which 
some will recall — a distinct type with- 
in the limits of Connecticut. The 
philosophical historian of a coming 
age may trace its influence here or 
elsewhere; we have not yet the skill 
or the time for that. But it will not 
be amis to remember that as Hart- 
ford is the type of civic community, 
with a natural and practical element 
in its growth, as New Haven is the 
type of a more formal establishment 
with its very ground plot suggesting 
a well formed theory from the first, 
as Saybrook was our fort of defense 
incidentally providing homes for a few 
"persons of quality;" as New London, 
looking out from its harbor to the 
ocean, had promise of commerce and 
the prosperity which comes from the 
sea, so Meriden affords the type, or 
rather the unique example within our 
borders, of a manor united with and 
finally merging into an agricultural 



community. I am afraid that the 
manor was such in design and name 
rather than in the full sense of the 
word; but the Meriden manor of the 
Belchers suggests a dignity of plan 
which we are glad to place by the side 
of the dignity which was in fhe 
thoughts of settlers in other parts of 
the colon. It was everywhere 
the dignity of a serious purpose, 
the dignity of intention working 
itself out in life, the dignity- - 
as the very word imports — of wor- 
thiness. And the results of it, as it 
appeared in divers ways in the 
thoughts and actions of our founders, 
have been seen in the "steady habits," 
or as the Romans would have called 
it, the gravitas of their descendants. 

The purpose of such a commemora- 
tion as this, Mr. President, as I hardly 
need to say, is not fulfilled if the cele- 
bration itself, with its varied observ- 
ance of pagentry and enthusiasm, with 
its proof to the eye of what you have 
already accomplished and what you 
feel ready to undertake with the con- 
fidence of success. Its chief purpose 
is, so to recall the past and to mani- 
fest the present that the way may be 
prepared for doing well that which is 
still in the future. The raanoviil lord of 
the early days — we may at least allow 
ourselves the use of the title — and the 
farmers who tilled the land in the dig- 
nity of ownership, could not have pos- 
sibly foreseen that the Meriden of the 
future would derive enough of its 
prosperity from non-resident proprie- 
tors and comparatively little from the 
labors of the husbandman; but they 
made possible the great prosperity of 
this day, which springs from invention 
and the skillful use of the mechanical 
arts. Those who assembled in the 
first town meeting a hundred years 
ago, so well reproduced before your 
eyes this morning, did not dream of 
the city of 1906. with busy factories 
and crowded streets, in the valley from 
which those who passed on the colony 
road must look up to see the churches 
and the homes of the village on the hill 
crest; but they left to the men of this 
day, more than an example; they left 
a life, to "consecrate our origin," to 
see what the foundations laid a cen- 
tury, two centuries, more than two 
centuries ago, are able to bear, and 
to remember that the character of the 



338 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



men of to-day and the kind of work 
that they do with their brains and 
their hands, will largely decide the 
prosperity and the usefulness and the 
happiness of those who shall live and 
work here in generations to come. 

Certainly the week will not fail to 
impress on you the importance of his- 
tory, the careful recording and treas- 
uring of all that shall make the annals 
of the town intelligible and interesting 
to the men and women and children of 
later days. Every such commemmo- 
ration ought to be, and is, in its way, 
the organization of an historical so- 
ciety of large and active membership. 
If now you have recalled and record- 
ed and commemorated the events of 
the most important period in the his- 
tory of your town, see to it that you 
leave records, with a true interpreta- 
tion of them, and an intelligent en- 
thusiasm for them, which shall be of 
service for more than a century to 
come. 



BY PROF. DAVID N. CAMP. 

Professor David N. Camp, of New 
Britain, years ago a citizen of Meriden, 
gave an interesting account of the town 
as he remembered it in youth. He spoke 
as follows : 

It was about seventy years ago that 
I first came to Meriden, passing through 
it on business to a neighboring village. 
It was then a country town of less than 
i,8oo inhabitants, a majority of whom 
were engaged in agricultural pursuits. 

Entering the town near the southeast 
corner, and passing through it diagon- 
ally to the northwest, I was impressed 
by the number of corners to be turned, 
and the similarity of the houses on 
the route. There was no indication of 
poverty, but on the contrary, the neat- 
ness of the homesteads, and the ap- 
pearance of the farms, were evidences 
of a thrifty, prosperous community. 

There was no railroad in the state, 
and the country roads were by no 
means such as are now found in every 
enterprising place. There were a few 
small factories in the town, the princi- 
pal being the tin shops, the ivory comb 
factories and several shops where cof- 
fee mills, small tools and some arti- 
cles of hardware and britannia ware 
were made. 

When, in 1840, I became a resident 



of Meriden for a few months, I was 
impressed with the beauty of the place, m 
and its advantageous situation. Locat- ^ 

ed midway between the two capitols of 
the state, and nearly equally distant 
from the east and west boundaries, its J 

position seemed favorable for business, I 

or the interchange of social courtesies. 

The New Haven and Hartford rail- 
road had been opened the previous 
year, and Meriden was already begin- 
ning to feel the influence of increased 
facilities for trafific and communication 
with the business world. The local ac- 
commodation for passengers was in a 
room on the west side of the tracks 
near Main street and provision for 
freight was made in a shed on the 
opposite side. Two trains a day, 
each consisting of a small pas- 
senger or combination car, accommodat- 
ed the travel, and a freight car, some- 
times attached to the passenger train 
provided for the freight to be trans- 
ported. The bank, the town clerk's of- 
fice, post office and principal stores were 
near the tavern on the turnpike, on 
Broad street. 

The beauty of Meriden, its diversified 
scenery, the mountains on the north and « 

west, its broad valley with meandering 1 
streams, and its varied landscape, had 1 

already attracted the attention of ar- 
tists and lovers of the beautiful. 

Our own country and other lands 
have recently been startled, if not af- 
frighted, by the effects of the unseen 
natural forces which produced the erup- 
tion of Mt. Vesuvius, and the diastrous 
earthquake of the Pacific coast ; but in 
the eons of geological time, far greater 
volcanic action, and far more extensive 
upheavals of the earth, occurred in this 
vicinity, to prepare a place for the lo- 
cation of Meriden, and give it the va- 
riety of landscape and natural beauty 
which have made it so attractive. 

My residence of a few months in the 
town in 1840, so impressed me with 
the advantages of its location that, 
when a few months later, I saw in a 
New Haven paper, an advertisement of 
a farm for sale in Meriden, I persuaded 
my father, who was a farmer in anoth- 
er county, to go and look at it. The 
result was we soon made Meriden our 
home. 

The municipal business of the town 
was then transacted on the turnpike, or 
Market, or Broad street, and the bank, 
post office and churches were in the 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



339 



same locality. The other principal 
thoroughfares, then termed highways, 
were the Old Road, afterwards named 
Colony street, and Main, Liberty, Wall, 
Curtis and Hanover roads, and the old 
roads leading to the neighboring towns. 
Such important streets as Center, Pratt, 
Camp, State, Hanover and Cook and 
Lewis avenues, had not been opened and 
probably not projected. There were no 
paved streets or sidewalks, and at some 
seasons of the year, the highways were 
nearly impassable. 

The railroad was at first constructed 
with flat rails, and had steeper grades 




.^.-^VID N. CAMP. 

and sharper curves than at present. As 
a consequence, its trains were subject 
to delays from the failure of the mo- 
tive power to overcome the obstacles, 
especially in the autumn, when the rails 
were frosty, and the novel sight was 
presented of a passenger train coming 
into town drawn by an ox team. 

The public schools were in a dozen 
different districts, each in a one-room 
schoolhouse, in which the pupils of all 
school ages were taught, usually by a 
young woman, a few months in sum- 
mer, and by a man, or woman, a few 
months in winter. In 1838 there were 



in the town, 440 children of school age 
nearly eighty per cent .of whom were 
in the public schools. The schools were 
open eighteen weeks in winter and 
nearly as long in summer. The average 
wages of the men who taught were 
seventeen dollars and sixty-six cents a 
month, and of the young women ten 
dollars a month. These wages seem 
small, but they were the highest paid in 
New Haven county outside of the city 
of New Haven. 

There was no high school in the 
town, but several small private schools, 
a small academy, somewhat irregular in 
its session and with frequent change of 
teachers, but it gave instruction to a 
few of the older pupils. John D. Post, 
for several years a teacher in the Hart- 
ford Grammar school, came to Meri- 
den in the autumn of 1840, and estab- 
lished a boarding school on the turn- 
pike on Broad street. This school 
fitted young men for college and had 
some students from the town. Mr. 
Post afterwards had his brother, the 
late Rev. Dr. William S. Post, of Chi- 
cago, associated with him and they had 
a school at the Corner, and then in the 
academy. Still later, the Meriden In- 
stitute, with the late Henry D. Smith, 
of Plantsville. as principal, was opened 
in West Meriden. 

_ The citizens of Meriden from early 
times have had a lively interest in the 
education of their children. 

The Connecticut State Teachers 'As- 
sociation, next to that of Massachusetts, 
the oldest State Teachers' Association 
in the country, was organized in Mer- 
iden in 1846. The number of members 
was small at first, but it has increased 
until New Haven and Hartford are the 
only cities in the state that can accom- 
modate its meetings and no room in 
these cities is adequate. 

In 1840 to 1846 the church buildings 
of the town were near each other, on 
the west side of the turnpike, south 
of the tavern. The rector of the Epis- 
copal church in 1837 and 1838 was Rev. 
John M. Guion, afterwards mj^ associate 
in the institution at New Britain. In 
1841 to 1842 a distant relative. Rev. 
C W. Everest, was in charge. His 
scholarly attainments and winning 
manners brought him manv friends. 
Rev. Harvey Miller, of the Baptist 
church, had been loncest in pastoral 
service in Meriden. He was a good 
preacher, a genial companion, and 



340 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



was very popular in the community. 
During my first residence in Meri- 
den, the Congregational church had no 
settled pastor. When the place was 
made our permanent home, Rev. George 
W. Perkins had been settled over the 
church. He was sympathetic and gen- 
ial in manner, but a man of strong con- 
victions, and frank and outspoken in 
stating them. He was v ever watchful 
for the interests of the church and com- 
munity, fertile in suggesting measures 
for improvement, and fearless in the 
advocacy of what he thought to be 
right. Though at the present time, the 
views which he advocated in regard to 
slavery and other moral questions, seem 
logical, and meet with general approba- 
tion, sixty years ago they were consid- 
ered by many as chimerical. He was 
also a school visitor, and in this po- 
sition was indefatigable in his efforts 
to correct abuses and improve the con- 
dition of the public schools. 

It was during his pastorate, that the 
First Congregational church removed 
its place of meeting from Broad street 
to Colony street. The increase in pop- 
ulation and the additions to the church 
and congregation had made it neces- 
sary that more room be provided. 
While a portion of the church and so- 
ciety believed it advisable to increase 
the accommodations on Broad street, 
another and larger protion were in fa- 
vor of a new location nearer the res- 
idential center. Some good people saw 
only disaster in removal. The condi- 
tions might have lead to strife and bit- 
terness of speech, but this was prevent- 
ed, in a large degree, by the widsom 
and good judgment of the pastor; and 
two strong and flourishing churches, so 
situated as better to serve the whole 
community were the result. 

After the opening of the New Haven 
and Hartford railroad, business natur- 
ally tended towards the railway station 
and its vicinity. The opening of a 
number of new streets between 1845 
and 1850 facilitated approach to this 
part of the town. New factories and 
other places of business were located 
• in that direction and vacant lots were 
occupied by residences. 

One of the results of this change was 
a generous rivalry between the east- 
ern and center and western sections 
of the town. Though peaceful, it was 
sometimes spirited and was manifested 
in municipal affairs and to some extent 



in other matters. Compromises some- 
times secured objects which were ben- 
eficial to both sections, while in other 
cases improvements were secured which 
have proved beneficial to the general 
public. 

The transformation of Meriden, from 
an agricultural hamlet to a semi-man- 
ufacturing town was at first slow, and 
its growth from a sparsely populated 
to an urban place was gradual. 

The increase in population for a 
whole decade, after it became a town, 
was only sixty and for ten years from 
1830 to 1840, was less than two hundred 
but afterwards the increase was more 
rapid. What were the primal causes 
which have given it so prominent a 
place among the towns in the vicinity? 
Cheshire was set off from Wallingford 
and made a town twenty-six years 
before Meriden became a town, and at 
that time there was little difference in 
the population of the two places, and 
this equality continued with little var- 
iation for over forty years. Cheshire 
had the advantage of cheaper transpor- 
tation of goods, by canal, a dozen years 
before Meriden had a railroad. At the 
last census, the population of Meriden 
was more than fourteen times that of 
Cheshire. 

When Meriden was separated from 
Wallingford in 1806, the population of 
the latter place was nearly double that 
of Meriden. As late as 1840, the pop- 
ulation of Wallingford was more than 
three hundred greater than that of 
Meriden. The old town had much the 
larger territory, the same or greater 
water power, the same railroad and 
was nearer market, in New Haven and 
New York, and yet in 1900, its popula- 
tion was less than one-third that of 
Meriden. If we go out of the county, 
in another direction, Middletown, bor- 
dering Meriden on the northeast, had 
been incorporated as a town more than 
a hundred and fifty years and had been 
a city more than twenty years, when 
Meriden became a town and its pop- 
ulation in 1750 was greater than that 
of Meriden in 1850. It had greater wa- 
ter power, a navigable river, with ad- 
vantages of commerce, and nearly 
double the territory of Meriden and 
yet in 1900, the population of Meriden 
exceeded that of Middletown by more 
than 11,200. 

I would make no invidious compar- 
isons. The towns which I have men- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



341 



tioned are now flourishing, thrifty 
towns. I am well aware that the per- 
centage of increase in population in 
two of them — Middletown and Wal- 
lingford — for the last census decade, 
was greater than that of Meriden. I 
have referred to them for illustration, 
to indicate that at the time of the awak- 
ening in education and mental action 
near the middle of the last century, 
and the corresponding change in indus- 
trial pursuits, in many New England 
towns and cities, Menden was one of 
the first to feel the change, and respond 
to the new conditions. What was the 
primal cause? Its situation and advan- 
tageous communication with the busi- 
ness world may have been incidental 
causes, but other towns and cities, bet- 
ter located and having greater advan- 
tages, did not improve so rapidly. 

The scholar who stands on the Acro- 
polis at Athens may be impressed with 
the beauty of the scenery, or the mag- 
nificence of the ruins about him, but 
he is thinking of Pericles, or Aristides, 
or Thernstocles, the makers of Athens. 
So at Rome, the historian may be 
pleased with the grandeur of St. Pet- 
ers, or the beauty of the Vatican, but 
his mind reverts to the story of Romu- 
ulus, Marcus Aurelius, or Caesar, the 
founders and builders of Rome. 

It was due to the thought, or energ\-, 
of some living man, or men, that these 
and other places became famous, so if 
we inquire for the cause of the su- 
premacy of Meriden, in this part of 
Connecticut, it will be found in the pur- 
poses and deeds of men who in wis- 
dom laid their plans, overcame obsta- 
cles, and made the place worthy of 
the attention given it, in the history 
of the past, or in the exercises of the 
present week. 

It was not then a favorable situation 
alone, which gave Meriden so promi- 
nent a position nor was it any single 
industry, as in Birmingham or Man- 



chester, England, or Lawrence or Man- 
chester in the United States, nor was it 
any giant of industry, or finance, Pull- 
man, Gould or Vanderbilt, that gave in- 
spiration to the growth of the town, in 
its early history ; but a number of intel- 
ligent, persevering, far-seeing men, en- 
gaged in different branches of industry, 
and conducting different lines of work, 
yet coinciding in purpose and co-ordi- 
nating in effort, by their influence, in- 
spired the changes which made Meri- 
den a conspicuous city. 

These men, some of them with lib- 
eral education, but most with limited 
advantages, and often with limited 
means, by their earnest purpose and 
untiring perserverance, laid the foun- 
dations of prosperity for the town and 
city. It was often by painstaking, self- 
denial and the exercise of great sa- 
gacity that success was attained. 

Meriden has been repeatedly hon- 
ored by the recognition of the ability 
and character of her citizens, as indi- 
cated by their being called to places 
of trust and responsibility. They have 
been elected to congress, they have jeen 
called to the higher branches, both of 
the national and state legislatures, have 
been placed in responsible positions and 
have served their country well. 

While one of the most respected and 
most influential members of the United 
States senate was wisely discharging his 
duties in that body, the highest executive 
ofiicer of the state and one of the most 
important officers of the largest corpo- 
ration in the state were from this city, 
men whom the state delighted to 
honor. 

The public institutions of Meriden 
are monuments of the liberality and 
noble-mindedness of both the living 
and the dead ; and the beauitful parks, 
the admiration of other cities, and the 
delight of thousands who visit them, 
are the evidence of official wisdom and 
private munificence. 



342 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




£ 






*■' A^^'^.i 






LATE REV. J. J. WOOLLEY. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



343 



REV. JOSEPH J. WOOLLEY 



One of the speakers who had been 
given an invitation to make an histor- 
ical address, and who was one of the 
first to accept was Rev. Joseph J. Wool- 
ley, of Pawtucket, R. I., formerly pas- 
tor of the Center Congregational 
church. He arrived in Meriden on 
Thursday, June 14, and was the guest 
of Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Rockwell. 
He was to have made his address on 
Friday evening, but a few hours before 
suffered from an attack of what was 
supposed to be acute indigestion and was 
unable to deliver the remarks which no 
doubt he had carefully prepared. 

Though still a sick man he left Mer- 
iden to attend the commencement exer- 
cises of Mt. Holyoke college of South 
Hadley, Rlass., of which his daughter, 
Miss Mary Woolley, is president. The 
disease became more aggravated and an 
operation was decided upon, but his age 
was against him, and after the operation 
he gradually grew weaker until his 
death on Sunday, July i. 

Of his life and characteristics the 
following is taken from the Evening 
Times of Pawtucket, R. I., where Mr. 
Woolley had resided from the time of 
his leaving Meriden in 1871 : 

AN ACTIVE LIFE. 

Rev. Joseph J. Woolley was born in 
Bridgeport, Conn., Sept 17, 1832, and 
was the son of Joseph and Fanny (Bur- 
roughs) Woolley. He received his edu- 
cation in the public schools of his na- 
tive place and the preparatory school 
of B. L. Johnson. He then entered the 
ministry of the Methodist Episcopal 
church, becoming a member of the New 
York East Conferenece. After pursu- 
ing the prescribed four years' course of 
study, he was ordained deacon in i860 
by Bishop Scott, and two years later 
was made an elder by Bishop Mattehw 
Simpson. 

On Oct. 4, 1861, he was appointed by 
Gov. William A. Buckingham chaplain 



of the Eighth Regiment, Connecticut 
Volunteers, and he saw service with the 
command in the Burnside expedition to 
North Carolina, during the War of the 
Rebellion. He was in the gales for 
three days off Hatteras Inlet, and in 
the battles of Roanoke and Newberne. 
An illness of several weeks of typhoid 
fever was the means of his being honor- 
ably discharged in the latter part of 
March, 1862. He afterwards continued 
to serve the army in securing funds for 
the purchase of chaplain tents, these be- 
ing for the holding of the religious ser- 
vices in the camps. 

REMOVED TO PAWTUCKET IN 187I. 

In 1871 Rev. Mr. Woolley was serving 
as representative in the Connecticut 
Legislature from Meriden, Conn., where 
he was also pastor of the Center Con- 
gregational church, the duties of which 
were assumed by him after his return 
from the war. At this time he received 
a call to come to Pawtucket and be- 
come pastor of the Pawtucket Congre- 
gational church, having preached as a 
candidate at the church for the first 
time in June of that year. The call 
which came to him the following week 
was a unanimous one, and accordingly 
he removed here with his family in Sep- 
tember of the same year. 

In March, 1882, after serving the 
church for eleven years, he resigned 
and went to Europe for a stay of three 
months. 

Upon his return in August of that 
year he was invited to become pastor 
of a new church, the membership be- 
ing largely of the parent church, the 
Pawtucket Congregational, and thus 
originated the Park Place Congrega- 
tional church, of which Rev. Mr. Wool- 
ley continued to be pastor until his 
death. The Sunday school was formed 
in August, 1882, and not long after- 
wards was instituted the church society. 



344 



CENTENNIAL OF AIERIDEN. 



the first meetings being held in Music 
Hall where they were continued until 
the building of the present church. The 
corner stone was laid in 1884, and the 
dedication followed in 1885. 

In February, 1889, Rev. Mr. Woolley 
took a trip to the Holy Land in com- 
pany with the late Thomas P. Barne- 
field, then superintendent of the Sun- 
day school of the church, returning at 
the end of four months much improved 
in health. 

HIS MILITARY HONORS. 

In military circles Rev. Mr. Woolley 
received high honors, having for many 
years served the Grand Army, Depart- 
ment of Rhode Island, as its chaplain. 
Early in 1898 he was commissioned by 
Gov. Elisha Dyer as chaplain of the 
First Rhode Island Regiment, United 
States Volunteers, and he served with 
the regiment in the Spanish-American 
War. He was afterward made chap- 
lain-in-chief of the Spanish-American 
War Veterans' National association. 

He was a member of Tower Post, 
No. 17, G. A. R., in which he has held 
various offices, chief of which were 
chaplain and post commander. He rose 
in the state department of the Grand 
Army, and his comrades made him 
their chaplain, afterward electing him 
to the office of department commander 
in 1904, in their desire to extend him 
further honors. 

DEEP INTEREST IN CHARITY. 

Rev. Mr. Woolley was also chaplain 
of the Pawtucket Veteran Firemen's 
Association and a member of several 
other organizations of the city. In the 
charitable work of the Pawtucket Dis- 
pensary he took a deep interest, being 



one of the most active workers, and he 
has served the dispensary as secretary 
many years. 

The deceased was a member of the 
Masonic fraternity, having transferred 
his credentials to Union Lodge, No. 10, 
of this city, and also of the Knights 
Templars, belonging to a commandery 
in Meriden, Conn. He was also a mem- 
ber of Providence Lodge, B. P. O. E., 
and held the office of chaplain. In 
these and the various other organiza- 
tions with which he was affiliated he 
enjoyed the esteem that was accorded 
him everywhere and by all classes. 

December 11, 1861, Rev. Mr. Woolley 
was wedded to Miss Mary A. Ferris, 
daughter of the late Stephen A. and 
Mary Ferris of South Norwalk, Conn. 
The ceremony took place soon after his 
ordination, and while he was in the 
army as chaplain of the Eighth Con- 
necticut Regiment, a furlough having 
been obtained to permit of the union. 

The death of Mrs. Woolley in March 
of last year told heavily on the de- 
ceased, as her demise was the first 
break, with one exception, in the cir- 
cle that was so happy and harmonious. 
Mrs. Woolley had been for years an 
invalid, and during her illness she re- 
ceived that care and attention from 
her husband which her condition re- 
quired, and which but served to in- 
crease their love and devotion. 

There are three surviving children. 
These are Miss Mary E., president of 
Mt. Holyoke College ; Erving Y., sales- 
man for Stoddard, Hazerick, Richards 
Company, Boston, machinery importers, 
and Frank F., superintendent of the 
cotton mills of the Coventry Company 
at Anthony, this state. A daughter, 
Grace E., died in infancy. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



345 



CENTENNIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT 



One of the many features of Centen- 
nial week, the Centennial tournament of 
the Meriden Golf Club, was held on 
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with 
an open handicap on Saturday. The 
tournament opened on Wednesday, 
June 13, with the qualifying round 
at eighteen holes medal play. The fol- 
lowing is the list of those who qualified 
in the first sixteen : 

E. Tredennick, Meriden Golf club, 
82; J. A. Toole, New Haven Golf club, 
84; F. K. Bull, New Haven Golf club, 
87 ; F. E. Sands, Meriden Golf club, 
89; W. J. Prouty, Meriden Golf club, 
90; H. DeForest Lockwood, Meriden 
Golf club, 91 ; H. F. Ferry, New Haven 
Golf club, 92; E. T. Bradstreet, Meri- 
den Golf club, 92; George H. Wilcox, 
Meriden Golf club, 93 ; E. W. Pierce, 
Meriden Golf club, 94; D. W. Camp, 
Middletown Golf club, 94; W. H. Race, 
Meriden Golf club, 95; E. W. Smith, 
Meriden Golf club, 95 ; J. C. Churchill, 
Meriden Golf club, 96; F. L. Murdock, 
Meriden Golf club, 97; D. D. Butler, 
Middletown Golf club, 98. 

In the consolation division of eight, 
the following qualified. 

Harold Wilcox, Meriden Golf club, 
98; W. I. Wilcox, Meriden Golf club, 
99; M. H. Pease, New Britain, 100; F. 
R. Alexander, Meriden Golf club, 102; 
J. Tredennick, Meriden Golf club, 108; 
H. L. Fitzpatrick, New York, 108; I. B. 
Miller, Meriden Golf club, 1 10; Roger 
Squire, Meriden Golf club, 135. 

The succeeding rounds at match play 
resulted as follows : 

First round, first sixteen — Smith beat 
Churchill, Bull beat Murdock, Treden- 
nick beat Race, Toole beat Pierce, 
Lockwood beat Butler, Prouty beat 
Bradstreet, Sands beat Wilcox. 

First round, consolation — W. I. Wil- 



cox beat Fitzpatrick, Pease beat H. Wil- 
cox, MiHer beat Squire, J. Tredennick 
beat Alexander. 

Second round, first sixteen — Toole 
beat Lockwood, Prouty beat Sands, Bull 
beat Smith, E. Tredennick beat Camp. 

First round, defeated eight of first 
sixteen— Bradstreet beat Churchill, Race 
beat G. H. Wilcox, Ferry beat Mur- 
dock, Pierce beat Butler. 

Semi-finals, first sixteen — Bull beat E. 
Tredennick, Toole beat Prouty. 

Semi-finals, consolation — Pease beat 
W. I. Wilcox, J. Tredennick beat Miller. 

Finals, first sixteen— Bull beat Toole. 

Finals, consolation — Pease beat J. 
Tredennick. 

Finals, beaten eight — -Race beat Brad- 
street. 

The handicap Saturday, June 16, was 
won by W. H. Race, Meriden Golf club, 
with a score of 88-9-79. Mason Phelps, 
New Haven Golf club, won the gross 
prize with a score of 79. 

The prizes were won as follows dur- 
ing the tournament : 

Best score, qualifying round, cut glass 
decanter, E. Trendennick. 

Winner, first sixteen, sterling silver 
pitcher— F. K. Bull of Yale. 

Runner-up, first sixteen, cut glass de- 
canter — J. A. Toole, of Yale. 

Winner of beaten eight, first sixteen, 
cut glass decanter — W H. Race. 

Runner-up of beaten eight, first six- 
teen, smoker's stand — E. T. Bradstreet. 

Winner second sixteen ,cut glass cigar 
jar — M. H. Pease, New Britain Golf 
club. 

Runner-up second sixteen, cut glass 
decanter — John Tredennick. 

Best gross score in handicap, optic 
cut glass jug — Mason Phelps, Yale. 

Best net score in handicap, thistle cut 
glass jug — W. M. Race. 



346 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



CONNECTICUT VOLK'S FEST VEREIN 



Rain interfered with a German so- 
ciety at the opening of the celebration 
of Centennial week. That was last 
Sunday when the Meriden Rifle club 
was driven from their grounds in 
Schuetzen park by a heavy storm, after 
a most beautiful day. Monday opened 
bright, clear and hot and the rest of the 
week was all that could be desired. If 
the weather had been made to order 
nothing better could have been served 
to the people. Rain came to-day when 
the Germans were to close the parade 
part of the observance of the week. 

The weather, though, had no effect 
on the members of the State Saenger- 
fest. With a slight exception they fol- 
lowed out the programme as originally 
laid out. This exception was in the line 
of march. Three streets were cut off 
the line and from the hall on State 
street the several societies went direct 
to Terrace garden. 

The parade was scheduled to leave 
Saengerbund hall at 9 o'clock but it 
was nearer 11 before the line was 
formed. The delay was due to the fact 
that the Waterbury society could not 
get here on the time promised. They 
were obliged to wait for an engine at 
Waterbury and it was after 10 o'clock 
before they reached this city. At that 
time it was raining quite hard but the 
fest must be held and when Professor 
Keller sounded his whistle the men 
formed in line and headed by the Wa- 
terbury band marched to Terrace gar- 
den whede the events of the day were 
held. 

There were eighten members of the 
Wallingford Eintracht accompanied by 
150 of their friends, men as well as 
women. Forty singers came from the 
Waterbury Lyra and 200 people accom- 
panied them. The New Britain Teu- 
tonia Maennerchor was represented by 
twenty singers and they had about 100 
rooters to aid them in winning the lau- 
rel wreath. 

The Meriden Saengerbund was out in 
full force. Nothing except sickness or 



death could keep a member away, no 
matter what the weather might be. The 
New Haven, Bridgeport and Ansonia 
societies were not represented in the 
parade although some of the members 
came to the city in the afternoon. 

On the arrival of the societies at Ter- 
race garden family picnics were held, 
old acquaintances renewed and new ones 
formed and a jolly time was had de- 
spite the unpleasant weather. A sub- 
stantial lunch was served and in the 
afternoon the singing contest opened. 
Between the set pieces on the pro- 
gramme there was individual singing 
and also songs by the several societies. 
The programme for the contest was as 
follows : 

Heimatersen, A. Opladen, Walling- 
ford Eintracht. 

Mein Lied, G. Angerer, Waterbury J 
Lyra. ^ 

Im Grasse, M. Spicker, New Britain 
Teutonia Maennerchor. 

Rheinische Braufahrt, F. Ullrich, 
Meriden Saengerbund. 

Afterwards all the societies combined 
and rendered : 

Muttersprache, F. Hagar. 

Landkennung, Ed. Grieg. 2 

America. _ ^ 

In the evening there was a social 
gathering in the large hall at Terrace 
garden. 

HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZA- 
TION. 

The Connecticut Volk's Fest Verein, 
the German singing society under 
whose auspices the greatest saenger- 
fest in the New England states is held, 
was founded about five years ago. It 
was then known as the Meriden Saen- 
gerbund. The reasons for the forma- 
tion of the new society was the great 
amount of trouble that prevailed at 
the time in the awarding of the prizes. 
In order to overcome all difficulties and 
to put each society on its proper foun- 
dation and that the awards should be 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



347 



on merits of honor, the Meriden Saen- 
gerbund was formed. Since that 
time honors only have been awarded. 
The Meriden Saengerbund now has 
a record that is known for its ex- 
cellence from one end of the country 
to the other. Whenever it gives a 
fest it is sure, no matter what the 
weather might be, there will be rep- 
resentatives of singing societies from 




J. H. KELLER. 

several parts of the state, and, in ad- 
dition to that, delegates from other 
states. 

From a little bit of a society of only 
a few members, the Meriden Saenger- 
bund has become an important factor 
in the singing world among the Ger- 
man population of the New England 
states. It is well known that thus 
far the judgment has not been contra- 
dicted. The awards of the Meriden 
society are worth bearing home. In 
order to show that the Meriden Saen- 
gerbund has some influence mention is 
made of a few of the singing societies 
that have come under its ban. 

They are: The Eintracht Saenger- 
bund, of Wallingford; Lyra, of Water- 
bury; Teutonia Maennerchor, of New 
Britain; Harugari Liederteufel, of 



New Haven; Maennerchor, of Ansonia, 
and the Schwaben Maennerchor, of 
Bridgeport. 

The present seat of the bund is in 
Wallingford. The president is John 
Schleiff of that town; Geo. Lohmann, 
of this citj', is the vice-president, and 
Rudolph Wagner is the secretary. 

It is the aim of the society to make 
the meeting this year the banner one 
of its existence. It will spare no ex- 
pence to that end. There is not a 
German who has any kind of a voice 
who is not ready and willing to do 
all that he can to that end. Prepara- 
tions had been going on for months 
to make the saeugerfest one that would 
be long remembered in the minds of 
those who attended. The society hall 




GEORGE H. LOHMANN. 

on State street was handsomely decor- 
ated in honor of the occasion. There 
was not a thing wanting, from the time 
the delegates stepped off the train to 
the time they left. Even the wives, 
daughters, sisters and sweethearts of 
the delegates were in good hands while 
they were in the city of Meriden. 

Rudolph Boehl is the president of 
the local society. He was born in 



348 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Germany in 1869 and came to this 
country November 1, 1886. He work- 
ed in and about New York for six 
years and in 1892 he decided that there 
were better opportunities for a young 
man in Meriden than elsewhere, and 
made this city his home. He worked 
at his trade as a baker for seven 
years, and then started out for him- 
self. Since then he has met with 




JOHN KIPP. 

prosperity and has built up a good 
business at his place on Pratt street. 
In September, 1901. he was elected 
president of the Meriden society and 
has since held that office. 

"William Schwatlow is another mem- 
ber of the Meriden society who ranks 
high in the estimation of his fellow 
members. He is whole-hearted and 
jolly and is the life of any gathering 
in which circumstance throws him. 
Although what is called a passive 
member he has at all times the inter- 
ests of the society at heart, and for 
months has been an active worker for 
the success of the fest. 

Professor John H. Keller, the leader 
of the Meriden Saengerbund, is one of 



the best conductors and organists in 
the New England states. As a teach- 
er of vocal and instrumental music he 
is well known, not alone in this coun- 
try, but in the fatherland. It was 
there he first studied the rudiments of 
music. He was born in Germany, 
and first studied music in Speyer. 
From there he went to Karlsuhre, 
where he finished his course on the 
organ. For years after that he was 
an organist in Deittensfield, and then 
he went to Gelheim. When he came 
to this country he secured his first 
employment in an opera house in 
Bridgeport. For a time he was the 
butt of ridicule among the alleged 
musicians in the orchestra, but they 
soon found that he was their master 
in more senses than in the line of 
music. Then Prof. Keller came to 




E. FEHSE. 

Meriden, and since the time he started 
he has met with well deserved success. 
As a teacher of the flute, organ, piano 
or any musical instrumnt, he ranks 
among the best, and his pupils have 
no difficulty in securing positions. Prof. 
Keller lives with his family in a de- 
lightful home in Lewis avenue. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



349 



Here are a few of the members of 
the Meriden bund who are of some 
note in the singing world: 

Herman Michaelis, of this city, is 
a charter member, a founder and an 
ex-president of the bund. He came 
to this city from Germany, where he 
was born, in 1875, and since that time 
he has been employed in one of the 
factories in Meriden. 




WILLIAM SCHVVATLUVV. 



Another ex-president is Emil Fehse. 
He is the vice-chairman of the com- 
mittee of arrangements. He was sec- 
retary of the society for eight years. 
He was born in Germany, and nine 
years ago came to this city which he 
has since made his home. He sings 
second bass in the society. 

Henry Rebscher is another ex-presi- 
dent of the society; he is at the pres- 
ent time the treasurer. Germany is 
his native place and he came to this 
city in 1882. He is at the present 
time an estimator at the works of 
Miller & Co. At all times he has his 
voice under full control and has the 
interests o/ the organization at heart. 
He is one of the most enthusiastic 



of the members for the success of the 
fest. 

The present secretary of the Meri- 
den Saengerbund is Julius L. Kipp. 
He is also an ex-president. He has 
been a singer since 1887, since which 
time he became a member of the bund. 
Formerly he was employed by Edward 
Miller & Co., but at the present is 
with the Wrought Metal & Light Co. 

Clestine Weyer is a native of France. 
He came to the United States and 
Meriden in 1881 and has lived in this 
city ever since. Five years ago, 
shortly after its organization, he 
joined the Meriden Saengerbund. He 
has a good bass voice that is a delight 
to listen to at all times. 




KLUIJI.PH lUH'JHlvbJ. 

George Lohmann, the engraver, is 
the only honorary member of the 
Meriden Saengerbund. He is one of 
the founders of the society, and while 
not active in all of the work that is 
going on from time to time, he is al- 
ways on hand at a rehearsal. For 
several terms he served as the presi- 
dent of the society and the members 
love him with all their hearts. He 



350 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



is a gentleman of the old school and 
to know him is to honor him. 

In writing, speaking, thinking or 
dreaming of the Meriden Saengerbund 
one must not overlook one of the most 
important of its members — that is the 
grand marshal. He is George Dahm, 
and he is one of the founders of the 
society. He was born in Germany 
and came to this city in 1882, where 
he made his home until recently. He 
does not forget his old affiliations. If 
there is anything doing of any mo- 
ment he is sure to be on hand with 
advice, and cash if it is necessary. 



To him as well as to other members 
of the society is the success of the 
present singing fest due. 

There is still another member of the 
Saengerbund who stands high, not only 
in the society, but with all people of 
Meriden — that is August Maschmeyer. 
He is at the present time one of the 
police commissioners. Commissioner 
Maschmeyer was born in Germany 
and is one of the founders of the 
Meriden Saengerbund. He was for- 
merly a member of the common coun- 
cil and represented Meriden in the 
legislature. 



HOLY CROSS-WESLEYAN BASE BALL GAME 



In spite of the drizzling rain that at 
one time threatened to make it impos- 
sible to play the Holy Cross-Wesleyan 




JOHN FLYNN, 
Captain Holy Cross Team. 

game- the concluding sporting event of 
the Centennial, the contest took place 
at Hanoevr park, Saturday afternoon. 



and considering the weather conditions, 
was a fine one and had a large audience. 

The conditions weatherwise could 
not be worse for baseball, and were it 
not for the desire on the part of the 
Sports committee to pull off the game so 
as to make no break in the programme 
from beginning to end, the chances are 
that it would have been postponed. A 
drizzling rain fell all the time on the 
bleachers. It was the only ball game 
played in this section Saturday. 

With the ending of that game every 
event that was arranged by the Sports 
committee of the Centennial was car- 
ried out and each one brought in a 
revenue to the general fund. If the 
weather had been fair the grounds would 
have been packed and instead of the 
committee's share being $245 it would 
have been at least $500. As it was, the 
result was very satisfactory form a finan- 
cial standpoint, the estimate given the 
General committee some months ago of 
of the proceeds of the Centennial sports 
being exceeded. 

Monroe and Mansfield, the opposing 
pitchers, were in great form and did 
fine work. The Holy Cross boys gave 
their pitcher excellent support, and up 
to the ninth inning had kept Wesleyan 
from scoring. In the meantime, owing 
to the swell stick work of Captain Flynn, 
Hoey and Reidy and Carrigan, Holy 
Cross had piled up four runs and was 
on easy street. Cunningham's misplays 
in left field helped along some. 

In the ninth Wesleyan woke up and 
in jig time had one run in with three 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



351 




DR. D. J. CARNEY, 

Coach of Holy Cross Team. 



JAMES M. QUINN, 
Manager Holy Cross Team. 





,'^&' 





CAPTAIN HANCOCK, 
Third Baseman Wesleyan Team. 



PITCHER _ MONROE, 
Of Wesleyan "Varsity Team. 



352 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



on bases and only one out. Ennis 
booted a hot one and another run came 
in and the man who was on second tried 
to score, but Jack Barry got the ball 
and shot it home ahead of him, cutting 
off a run and making two out. The 
next man was thrown out by Mansfield 
and the game was won for Holy Cross. 

The contest pleased all who saw it, 
and both teams were impartially cheered 
for their good work. 

The score : 



WE.SLEV.^N. 



HOLY CROSS. 



Ennis, 3b- 
Barry, ss, 
Hoey, If, 
J. Flynn. ib, 
Carrigan, c, 
Reidy, rf. 
Courtney, cf, 
F. Flynn, 2b, 
Mansfield, p. 

Totals, 



ab. r. lb. po. a. e. 
500212 

I 2 6 I 

1 I I o o 

2 3 14 1 o 
01620 
o I o o o 
00000 
00242 
12050 



34 4 9 27 19 5 



Hancock, 3b, 
Haley. 2b, 
Cunningham, If, 
Monroe, p, 
Smith, lb, 
Burke, If, 
Day, c, 
Bristol, ss, 
Campaign, cf. 



ab. r. lb. po. a. e. 



o o 



I 

I 

o 



I 
I I 
I 2 
I o 
I II 



0000 



4 O O II 



o I 



32 2 5 27 13 3 
00021 100 o — 4 



Totals, 
Holy Cross, 
Wesleyan, 000000000 .2 — 2 

The summary — Two base hits, T. 
Flynn, Cunningham ; sacrifice liits, 
Reidy, Smith ; stolen bases, Reidy. Hoey, 
Mansfield, Carrigan ; double play, F. 
Flynn, Barry and J. Flynn ; hit by pitch- 
er, Carrigan ; bases on balls, off Mon- 
roe I, off Mansfield 2; struck out, by 
Monroe 8, by Mansfield 4; left on bases. 
Holy Cross 6, Wesleyan 6; umpire,. 
Schiffer ; time of game, i :30. 




A FLOAT IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARADE. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



353 



Centennial Comfort Houses 



At the call of the cliairman, Mrs. A. 
Chamberlain, the Ladies' Reception and 
Entertainment committee of the Cen- 
tennial hfeld an important meeting in 
the parlors of the First Congregational 
church Tuesdaj' afternoon. May 22, and 
completed the appointment of sub-com- 
mittees to run the "Comfort House," 
which was open all the week in the par- 
lors of the First Congregational church 




MRS. A. cha:\iberlain. 

Chairman Ladies' Reception Committee. 

for the care and comfort of ladies and 
children. A special committee was 
named for each da^^ 

The Comfort House occupied the 
parlors and kitchen of the church, and 
light refreshments were served to la- 
dies and children there. Competent 

23 



maids and a trained nurse were in con- 
stant attendance. 

The committees in charge were as fol- 
lows : 

General Chairman — Mrs. A. Cham- 
berlain. 

Vice Chairmen — IMrs. B. C. Kennard 
and Airs. George C. Merriam. 

Secretary — Mrs. N. F. Griswold. 

Treasurer — Mrs W. H. Catlin. 

IN CHARGE MONDAY, JUNE II. 

Mrs. F. E. Sands, chairman; Mrs. A. 
Chamberlain, Mrs. H. Wales Lines, 
Mrs. C. L. Rockwell, Mrs. C. F. Lins- 
lev, Mrs. J. P. Piatt, Mrs. W. F. Rog- 
ers, Mrs. G. H. Wilcox, Mrs. F. Stev- 
enson, Mrs. Henrv Warren, Mrs. N. L. 
Bradlev, Mrs. W' B. Cashen, Mrs. C. 

F. Rockwell, Mrs. J. L. Billard, Mrs. 
J. S. Norton, jr., Mrs. G. E. Savage, 
Mrs. J. H. White. 

IN CHARGE TUESDAY, JUNE 12. 

Mrs. L B. Miller, chairman; Mrs. H. 
1 . King, Mrs. C. T. Dodd, Mrs. W. A. 
Hickox, Mrs. S. Bernstein, Mrs. W. W. 
Finnegan, Mrs. A. D. Meeks, Mrs. W. 
H. Catlin, Mrs. A. M. Brooks. Mrs. C. 
E. Stockder, Mrs. C. J. Danaher, Mrs. 
E. E. Smith, Mrs. H. A. Meeks, Mrs. 
L. A. Miller, Mrs. G. M. Curtis, Mrs. 

G. C. Merriam, Mrs, C. H. S. Davis. 

IN CHARGE WEDNESDAY, JUNE I3. 

Mrs. W. H. Qitlin, chairman; Mrs. 
Francis Atwater, Mrs. W. F. Davis, 
Mrs. Herman Hess, Mrs. E. T. Brad- 
street. Mrs. John W. Coe, Mrs. J. H 
Hinsdale, Miss Kittie Nickerson, Mrs. 
W. L Wilcox, Miss Lucy Peck, Mrs. E. 
A. Boardman, Mrs. E. H. White. Mrs. 
C. H. Stockder, Miss Ruth Merriam. 
Mrs. A. S. Thomas, Mrs. G. A. Fay, 
Mrs. Floyd Curtis. 

IN CHARGE THURSDAY, JUNE I4 

Mrs. N. F. Griswold, chairman; Mrs. 
Maurice O'Brien, Mrs. J. S. Lane. IMrs. 
H. C. Wilcox, Miss Mary A. Butler, 
Mrs. J. H. Chapin, Mrs. Lew Allen. 



I 



354 



CENTENNIAL OF iMKRIDKN. 



Mrs. W. G. Warnock, Mrs. T. L. Reilly, 
Mrs. George Cooley, Mrs. Albert Babb. 
Miss Elsie Lvon, Miss Claire Converse, 
Mrs. A. B. Mather, Mrs. George A. 
Church. Mrs. John Ives, Mrs. J. A. 
Curtiss. 

IN CHARGE FRIDAY, JUNE I5. 

Mrs. W. F. Parker, chairman; Mrs. 
H. A. Curtiss, Mrs. C. S. Howard, Mrs. 
P C. Rand, Mrs. C. L. Upham, Mrs. 
A T. Randall, Mrs. W. W. Mosher, 
Mrs. C. N. Winslow, Mrs. S. J. Hall. 
Mrs. L. E. Savage, Mrs. J. L. Rich- 
mond, Mrs. J. L. Rutherford, Mrs. G. 
R. Curtis, Mrs. E. W. Pierce, Mrs. E. 
\^^ Smith, Mrs. E. A. Merriman, Mrs. 
J. Q. Thayer. 

IN CHARGE S.VTURDAV, JUNE 16. 

Mrs. George M. Lucas, chairman ; 
]Mrs. E. Tredennick, Miss Sallie Collins, 
Mrs. W. H. Squire, Mrs. W. L. Squire, 
•Mrs. B. C. Kennard, Mrs. W. C. Muel- 
ler, Mrs Hubert L. Little, Mrs. E. B. 
Everitt, Mrs. J. F. Allen, Mrs. C. L. 
Lvon, Miss Nan Carter, Mrs. J. C. 
Cinirchill, Mrs. W. J. Prouty, Mrs. W. 

B. Ives, Mrs. Harvey Remington. Mrs. 

C. A. Learned. 

The ladies adopted yellow as the col- 
or of their Centennial badges 

The inspiration of the establishment 
of the comfort rooms in the city during 
the week's celebration was a happy one. 
It is the opinion of more than one that 
the person who suggested it should be 
rewarded with a medal. If it had not 
been for these cool, dark rooms more 
til an one woman would have fallen in 
a faint on the streets of the city, es- 
pecially on Wednesday and Thursday. 



Those days of all were the most trying 
on the physique and nerves of the wom- £ 
en, and the men were more than glad 
to take advantage of the shelter that 
was offered. 

It was estimated that at least 300 peo- 
ple were happy to take advantage of the 
luxury of the cool rest that was afforedd 
them and also of the light lunch. Thurs- 
day was the day that taxed the efforts 
of the waitresses but they stuck to the 
task set before them and those who 
went away were more than pleased with 
their reception and the treatment ac- 
corded them. A trifle over $34 was tak- 
en in for lunches on that day. Of 
course, that does not give any idea of 
the number of patrons as some spent 
only five cents while others handed in 
checks that called for many times that 
amount. The committee, though, were 
well pleased with the week's work. 

W. C. T. U. ROOMS. 

The Women's Christian Temperance 
union opened their comfort rooms in the 
City Mission building on East Main 
street late Tuesday. They closed Fri- 
day night. These rooms at the start be- 
came popular. Every member of the 
committee took hold with a will and 
they advertised the fact that a good 
home-made meal could be procured 
there at a reasonable cost. From early 
morning to the closing hour the rooms 
were filled with people who enjoyed the 
rest afforded them and also the lunch 
that they procured. The committee is 
of the belief that at least 700 people par- 
took of meals in the rooms. As to the 
number of visitors no one can give the 
least estimate. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDKN. 



355 



Loan Exhibit 



The historical loan exhibition held in 
the parish house of St. Andrew's 
church, was one of the most attractive 
features of the Centennial. Walter S. 
Billard was chairman of the committee 
in charge, but it was conducted prin- 
cipally under the direction of Ruth 
Hart chapter and Susan Carrington 
Clarke cahpter, Daughters of the Amer- 
ican Revolution, with such ladies in 
charge as Mrs. C. L. Rockwell, Mrs. 
N. F. Griswold, Mrs. W. H. Catlin, Mrs. 
A. P. Hall, Mrs. Grace Arnold, Mrs. 
Hiram Yale, Mrs. N. D. Hoslev, Mrs. 
J. Q. Thayer, Mrs. Albert Babb, Mrs. 
G. N. Morse, Mrs. W. F. Rogers and 
many others. 

The collection of antiquities was not 
only large, but it was so varied that 
every taste was appealed to and the 
amount of instruction one secured and 
the genuine interest that was aroused is 
quite astonishing. 

The collection was admirably placed, 
and there was sufficient room so that 
all articles could be studied at close 
range. To the connoisseur some of the 
bits of paper, representing deeds, auto- 
graphs, etc., were most fascinating and 
many of these things were connected 
with names of men and women famous 
in history and also with those directly 
concerned with the making of Meriden. 

Many a story of romance and chival- 
rv was embodied in some bit of rare 
embroidery, a jeweled buckle or fan. 
and many a prosaic tale might be told 
of a staple piece of furniture or fine 
example of needlework. 

Representative of the latter was a 
white bedspread wonderfully wrought 
in elaborate fruit and flower design, 
which was made by a 3'oung damsel as 
a portion of her "setting out" when 
she married an officer who fought in 
the war of 1812. This spread was the 
property of Mrs. C. E. Hewitt. 

A very modest piece of furniture 
which attracted much attention on ac- 



count of its local historical value was 
a large arm chair made for Dr. Isaac 
Hough. History says the gentleman 
was of portly build and so springs were 
fastened to the front legs which gave 
an ease to the chair which was quite 
astonishing. 

One of the richest things on exhibi- 
tion was a massive tea service in solid 
silver, 100 years old, the property of 
Mrs. C. T. Dodd, who inherited it from 
her great grandmother. 

The communion service, dated 1796, 
belonging to the Center Congregational 
church, also has a history which is most 
interesting. One of the most valuable 
exhibits was a carved arm chair brought 
from England in 1620. The first piano 
ever brought to Meriden was an artis- 
tic piece of furniture and though its 
tone may be a trifle "thin," it did not 
lessen its attraction. Its beautiful ma- 
hogany case was exquisitely inlaid with 
lighter wood on which were scenes of 
foreign lands. Its base drum attach- 
ment is another unique feature. 

An article which never failed to catch 
the attention of a fond mother was the 
"suit of clothes for a boy of eight." 
The\' were fearfully and wonderfully 
made and it took a tremendous stretch 
of the imagination to fancy one of our 
modern Buster Brown suited young- 
sters in such a concoction of dressmak- 
ing. Trousers of the high water tj-pe 
were topped with a little short waist, 
the suit being trimmed fore and aft with 
rows of buttons. A little calico vest 
and white cotton cape added to the 
picturesque effect and the finishing 
touch w-as provided in the white straw 
stovepipe hat. 

Poke bonnets and dainty empire 
gowns, "dreams" of gauzy shawls, ex- 
quisite lace and embroidery with occa- 
sional gems, showed that my lady 
thought as much of observing Dame 
I'ashion's mandates a century ago as 
now. 



356 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Two old clocks which were made by 
B. & H. Twiss, attracted considerable 
attention. Benjamin Twiss was the 
father of Miss Faimie Twiss. 

Some of the choicest china was loaned 
by Mrs. Charles L. Rockwell, who has 
a valuable collection. 

The case containing the Breeches Bi- 
ble was at all times the center of inter- 
ested men and women. 

The cases containing the articles 
loaned by Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Catlin 
had numbers of people about them at 
all hours, and who were interested in 
the exhibit. The old turnkeys used for 
years and years to pull teeth were ob- 
jects of much comment. 

Though not the largest there, occupy- 
ing a small spot in a show case, was a 
little article loaned by Mrs. S. C. Pinks. 
It preached a sermon on duty to the 
flag. It was an invitation to Henry 
Flint, who fought at the battle of Bun- 
ker Hill, to attend the laying of the 
corner stone of the monument which 
took place on June 17, 1825. He was 
there and was a guest of honor. 

Two large cases were devoted to the 
articles loaned by George M. Curtis. 
One interesting article was the book- 
plate of Andrew Belcher, and of his son, 
Andrew Belcher, jr. There was in the 
same case an autograph of Jonathan 
Trumbull. This was dated in 1777. 
There was a George the Third punch la- 
dle and a robe worn at the coronation 
of that king. There was a book of the 
serrnons of Theophilus Hall, the first 
minister to officiate in Meriden. In an- 
other case was the Britches Bible. A 
bookplate of Samuel Johnson, the first 
United States senator from Connecti- 
cut, was also in this collection. 

Among articles loaned by Mrs. Cas- 
telow was a Wheedon tortoise plate that 
was worth its weight in gold. It was as 
rare as it is valuable and does not show 
any signs of usage. It was the gem of 
the collection. A desk 150 years old 
was an interesting piece of furniture. 
It was used in 1754-5 bv Rev. John 
Hubbard. 

Mrs. W. H. Catlin had a case full of 
all sorts of old and interesting articles 
that have come down to her from gen- 
erations back. There were some rare 
old plates and near them a cape made 
from the seed of the milk weed. There 
was what looked like a tea pot with the 
accompanying sugar bowl of which Mrs. 
Catlin could not give the age. That it 



was old and valuable there was no doubt. 
At the other end of the case was the 
wedding dress of Rev. Theophilus Hall's 
wife. It was one hundred and fifty 
years old and three generations ha\e 
worn it on their wedding day. 

Darby and Joan, showing signs of 
age and slightlv moth eaten, were loaned 
to the Daughters by Mrs. J. L. Ruth- 
erford. They were made in 1600 and 
attracted more than passing notice. 

During the week there were 2,579 P^''l 
admissions. Monday, 138; Tuesday, 
506; Wednesday, 514; Thursday, 68y ; 
Friday, 580. 



The following is the list of exhibits, 
as near complete, as it was possible to 
obtain : 



Mrs. Fancher — Wing chair, made in 
England, 125 years old, owned by Rev. 
Dr. Mead of Norwalk. 

Mrs. Frank Evarts — Two chairs. 

Mrs. John Q. Thayer — One chair. 

Dr. E. A. Wilson — Large chair. 

Mrs. Charles Merriam — Chair given 
to Merriam family by General Mans- 
field, known to be 200 vears old. 

W. A. Butler— Chair, 1830. 

E. C. Birdsey — Chair and straight 
back chair. 

Mrs. H. S. Savage — Chair in Bene- 
dict family, 130 years old ; one 100 years 
old. 

Mrs. Saxton B. Little — One very old. 

Mrs. R. C. Merriam — One chair. 

Mrs. F. N. Hastings — Windsor 
straight top chair. 

Miss Ellen Hough — Fiddle back 
chair, cabriole leg. 

Horatio Wilbur — Fiddle back, ball cor- 
nices, splint seat: three slat back chairs. 

Mrs. J. H. Butler — Windsor chair, 
spindle back and slat back chairs. 

Miss E. E. Boardman — Fiddle back, 
rush seat, cabriole leg. 

Mrs. N. D. Hosley— Slat back rocker. 

Mrs. A. Duncan — ^Five chairs. 

Mrs. Erastus Hubbard — Three chairs, 
1 780- 1 800. 

Mrs. Hotchkiss — 150 year old chair 
and rocker same age. 

Rev. J. T. Pettee — Mahogany Chip- 
pendale chair, 1750. 

Mrs. W. _H. Catlin— Mahogany Chip- 
pendale chair, seat embroidered bv Mrs. 
B. II. Catlin. 

Miss Emma Andrews — Three rush 
seat chairs. 



CENTENNIAL OF ISIERIDEN. 



357 



.Mrs. J. Q. Thayer — Shoe and stock- 
ing chair. 

Mrs. G. C. Merriam — Two rush seat 
chairs. 

Miss Tibbals — Reception chair. 

]Mrs. H. M. Jones — Rocking chair. 

Benjamin Collins — Chair belonged to 
Dr. *Hough. 

Mrs. N. L. Bradley — Child's chair, 
used in Peck family; bannister back 
chair, 1730- 1740. 

Miss Kate H. Hamlin — Two white 
chairs. 

TABLES, STANDS, DESKS AND BUREAUS. 

Mrs. Frank Hastings — Mahogany 
stand, two drawers, candle stand. 

Mrs. Hobart Hull — ^Table belonged to 
Rev. John Hubbard. 

JMrs. Erastus Hubbard — Mahogany 
table, eight corners. 

^Mrs. Hotchkiss — Mahogany table 
called Lady Washington. 

Miss Dow — Mahogany table, called a 
card table. 

Miss Lucy A. Peck — Stand, carved, 
part of the wedding outfit of Mrs. Sel- 
den Peck. 

Mrs. Charles Yale — Stand. 

John C. Byxbee — Light stand. 

IMrs. Charles Merriam — Table 200 
years old. 

Mrs. A. R. Boardman— Desk. 

]\Irs. Nathan Baldwin — Corner cup- 
1)oard from old hotel. 

Miss Emma Andrews — Mahogany bu- 
reau. 

Mrs. A. B. Mather— Butterfly table, 
1700. 

Mrs. A. O. Burt — -Maple and cherry 
liigh case of drawers. 

Mrs. W. A. Butler— Double chest of 
•drawers, 1740. 

Eli C. Birdsev — Cherry lowboy. 

Mrs. A. B. Mather— Lowboy. 

Mrs. C. P. Kimball — Cherry desk. 

Mrs. Oliver Rice — Desk. 

r\rrs. A. M. Lewis, Plantsville — Desk, 
belonged to Rev. John Hubbard. 

^Irs. C. A. Learned — One toy table ; 
one toy bureau 

CRADLES. 

'Sirs. A. Duncan; two bv Eli C. Bird- 
sev; Mrs. C. L. Upham: Mr. Clark. 



Mrs. Hinsdale Rice. Miss Boardman, 
Mrs. Rice, South Meriden; Geo. M. 
Lucas; Mrs. A. R. Boardman, with pic- 



ture top; Mrs. Hubbard Fenn, clock 
set in top. 

CLOCKS. 

Mr. Clark — Clock made by Twiss; 
John C. Byxbee. 

PHOTOGRAPHS, PICTURES AND COATS OF 
ARMS. 

E. A. Boardman — Ambrotype framed 
of Judge Albert Foster's family. 

Dr. E. A. Wilson— Etching of Old 
Tomlinson Bridge in New Haven. 

Miss Eunice Fowler— "Theorem," 
painting by Mrs. Daniel Fowler when 
15 j'ears of age. 

Dr. N. Nickerson — Engraving of 
George Washington picked up in the 
ruins of the Confederate arsenal at 
Richmond. 

Rev. J. T. Pettee — Crayon portraits of 
Rev. and Mrs. J. T. Pettee, 30 years 
ago. 

Mrs. John Parker — Crayon portraits 
of the Rev. John Parker, taken at the 
age of 80; Edmund Parker; Hon. 
Charles Parker while mayor of Meri- 
den : Rev. John and Charles Parker 
with their sister, Betsej^ Jeralds. 

Mrs. Wilbur B. Hall— Picture of the 
house, Beckley Inn in Beckley Quarter, 
one of the trees planted by George 
Washington. 

W. R. Smith — Picture of the house 
built in Wallingford by John Hall, fath- 
er of Gov. Lyman Hall, of Georgia, one 
of the signers of the Declaration of In- 
dependence ; picture of the Rice Home- 
stead. 

Eli C. Birdsey — Old water color paint- 
ings, supposed to be 125 years old. 

Mrs. A. H. Hall— Photographs of the 
Blizzard 1888, taken bv the late Rev. 
Alfred H. Hall. 

Miss Lucy A. Peck — Crayon picture 
by Miss Emily Hart. 

Mrs. E. D. Castelow — Coat of Arms 
of the Wright Family painted upon 
satin. 

Mrs. J. P. Stevenson — "L'rina," by 
Nancy Gaylord. daughter of Dr. Gay- 
lord, of Wallingford. 

Charles L. Rockwell — Memorial Pic- 
ture embroidered on white satin at Miss 
Sedgewick's school at Litchfield, by Bet- 
sey Lee, of Ridgefield. Conn. 

S. B. Little — Picture map drawn by 
Saxton B. Little at the age of 16. 

SILHOUETTES. 

h'li C. Birdsey — Two framed. 
Mrs. S. S. Clark, Hingham, Mass. — 
Late P. J. Clark. 



35« 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Mrs. Emily Johnson — Full length of 
Mrs. William Camp, mother of the late 
Mrs. Albert Foster and Nelson Camp. 

Miss Emily Brooks— 'Mr. and Mrs. 
Eben Frisbie, of Cheshire. 

Miss Eunice Fowler — Mrs. Lucy A. 
(Eddy) Bird, cousin of Mrs. Charles 
Parker. 

Mrs. William B. Ives — One. 

Mrs. H. P. Stevenson — Mr. Israel 
Harrison, of Wallingford. 

Miss Emily J. Benham— Mrs. J. P. 
Stevenson (Nancy, daughter of Dr. 
Gaylord). 

Mrs. Edward Yale — One. 

Mrs. Bloomheld — Two. 

Mrs. E. D. Castelow— Abigail Ely 
Wright, mother of Mrs. E. D. Caste- 
low; Mr. Dunham. 

Mrs. L. F. Griswold:— Two. 

Miss Kate H. Hamlin — One with fam- 
ily record. 

Dr. Steven Hall, son of Steven and 
Ruth Miles Hall, of Wallingford; Mrs. 
Lucy (Cook) Hall, his wife, daughter 
of Lieutenant Isaac Cook, of Walling- 
ford. 

Mrs. C. L. RoaVwell— Mr. David Lee, 
New York City, father of Countess von 
Waldersee. 

PORTRAITS. 

Mrs. E. D. Castelow — Oil portrait, 
Mrs. Abigail Wright Smith. 

Mrs. Oliver Swan — Two oil portraits 
of Mr. and Mrs. Joel H. Guy. 

Mrs. J. H. Mansfield— Oil portrait 
Dr. J. H. Wilson. 

Miss Sarah C. Churchill, Berlin, 
Conn — Oil portrait two daughters. 

JMiss Price — Two oil portraits painted 
on copper. 

Mrs. LeGrand Bevins — Gen. Walter 
Booth. 

Wallingford Library — Oil portrait 
Gov. Lvman Hall. 

Rev. 'J. T. Pettee— Oil portrait Mr. 
Abel Clark and Mrs. Clark. 

First M. E. Church — Oil portrait Rev. 
John and Mrs. Parker. 

First National Bank — Oil portrait Mr. 
Joel H. Guy. 

Chas. Hinsdale — Oil portrait Mr. and 
Mrs. Julius Pratt. 

Wm. H. Catlin— Oil portrait Dr. Benj. 
H. and Mrs. Catlin. 

First Baptist Church — Mr. Harvey 
Miller. 

Miss Tibbals — Dr. Hough. 

]\Irs. Henry Warren — Ashabel Gris- 
wold. 



Mrs. Albert Murray— Buell, Walling- 
ford. 

Mrs. J. H. Butler— Mr. and Mrs. H. 

C. Butler of Meriden. 

Miss Lucy A. Peck — Sepia portrait 
Harriet Peck, daughter of Lemuel and 
Lydia Dickinson Peck, born February 
14, 1796, died Nov. 11, 1828; oil por- 
trait Sherman Hooker Peck. 

•Mrs. N. L. Bradley — Dr. Cyprian 
Hart, Berlin, Conn. ; Selden Peck and 
Mrs. Selden Peck, father and mother of 
Mrs. N. L. Bradley. 

SAMPLERS. 

Mrs. Sarah M. Howell, Mrs. S. M. 
Camp, Mrs. L. F. Griswold, Mrs. Emily 
Johnson, Miss Jennie E. Wood, Elmer 
Spencer, Miss Eunice Fowler, one made 
hv Miss Eunice Eddv, one made by Mrs. 

D. B. Fowler; Mrs.'C. E. Hewitt, Miss 
Flora Ray, two; Mrs. Wesley Brooks, 
two; Mrs. M. K'ngsley. two; Mrs. M. 
Wetmore ; Mr. Belden ; Mrs. C. L. Rock- 
well, one made in Oaxaca, Mexico, one 
made by Mary Lee of Ridgefield, one 
made by Harriet C. Lee of Guilford ; 
Horatio Wilbur, one made in 1797; Mrs. 
Emily Butler; Miss Boardman ; Mrs. 
N. D. Hosley, one made by Mary A. 
Coggswell. 1827; Mrs. J. W. Coe; Mrs. 
J. P. Stevenson, Wallingford, one work- 
ed by Hannah Hall, 11 years, June 23, 
1818; one worked by Nancy Gaylord. 
daughter of Dr. Gaylord, one worked by 
M. H., 1813; one unfinished; Miss Mary 
J. Benham, one 1841 ; Mrs. William B. 
Ives; Mrs. C. F. Linsley, one made by 
Elizabeth Phelps; Mrs. Mary Wilcox, 
one with family record; Mrs. W. W. 
Mosher; Mrs. E. D. Castelow, one 
worked by Polly Dunham, Berlin; T^Irs. 

E. D. Castelow; Miss Lucy A. Peck, 
one worked by Luc}' Hart of Berlin, 
one worked by Lucy Hart, aged 10, July 
I, 1813; Miss E. E. Boardman; Mrs. 
Albert Babb; Miss Rice of South Mer- 
iden. 

COMMISSIONS, DEEDS AND ANCIENT DOC- 
UMENTS. 

Miss Lucy A. Peck — Three deeds. 

Mrs. Erastus Hubbard— Bundle of 
deeds given by Lent Hough ; account 
book of Thomas Hubbard. 

Airs. L. F. Griswold — Letter written 
January 12, 1805. 

Mrs. Oliver Rice — Revolutionary let- 
ters . written b}' Ezekiel Royce. 

Miss Hough and Miss Hull — Prelim- 
inaries in regard to slave girl. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



359 



Miss Maj' Merriman — Diploma con- 
ferred bv Yale College. 

Winfield Curtis— Revolutionary Com- 
mission of Lieutenant Abner Curtis; 
two commissions of the French and In- 
dian War, signed by Thomas Fitch, the 
last Colonial Governor of Connecticut, 
given to Lieut. Abner Curtis. 

Eli C. Birdsey — Commission given 
Capt. Luther Coe. 

Mrs. Oliver Rice — Commission given 
1730 Ezekiel Royce. 

Mrs. Erastus Hubbard — Revolution- 
ary Commissions given to Lieutenant 
Col. Thomas Hubbard. 

Charles L. Rockwell— Commissions to 
Lieut. James Rockwell and General En- 
sign Runa Rockwell. 

POWDER HORNS. 

Winfield Curtis — One powder horn 
used at Crown Point by Abner Curtis. 

H. B. Willis — One powder horn used 
at Battle of Lexington by Caleb Willis. 

C. F. Linsley — One powder horn 
marked B. P. used during the Revolu- 
tion. 

Arthur Hall — One powder horn. 

Miss Bradley — Plorn, presumably a 
rum horn, used for first aid to the in- 
jured, carried by Ezekiel Royce. 



Miss Bradley — One used while giving 
orders to an imaginary army along the 
New Haven coast. 

A. H. Evarts — One flint lock musket 
and two pistols. 

W. A. Hall— One flint lock musket. 

Hubbard Fenn — Flint lock gun and 
gun with bayonet and pistol. 

Eli C. Birdsey — Two flint lock mus- 
kets and old pistol. 

Mrs. F. E. Hubbard— One flint lock 
gun ; one concussion cap gun, one of 
the first of the kind made. 

Mrs. B. C. Kennard — Leather Fire 
Bag, 1810. 

Col. C. L. L^pham — Flint lock mus- 
ket : lock from Morris Academy. Litch- 
field, the first institution of the kind in 
Connecticut. 

:miscellaxeous. 

Emma Andrews — Shell comb, bead 
bag. two pair undersleeves, collar em- 
broidered, collar and cuffs, bureau ma- 
hogany. 

Mrs. Erastus Hubbard — Brass candle- 
stick ,1816; two spoons made from shoe 
and knee buckles of the First Con- 



gregational minister; Thomas Hubbard 
account books, 1812; a China pepper 
bo.x; a lather cup; 1775 sugar bowl 
which was on the tea table at a party 
when the British invaded the harbor of 
New London; Benjamin Franklin's sug- 
ar bowl ; .snuffers and tray, iron can- 
dlestick with lip; mortar and pestle; 
wheel sticks; pair tongs, 100 years old; 
bead bag; tin candlesticks with extin- 
guisher ; an army knife taken from a 
Confederate soldier; ancient baskets; 
counterpane. 

^Irs. Chas. Yale— Old books, 169 1- 
1794; crepe shawl; candelabra; silver 
comb ; knitting sheath ; stand. 

Miss Bradley — Shoes made in 1847 
by Chas. Harleton for his daughter Ab- 
igail's christening; doll bought at the 
first fair held by St. Andrew's church; 
old comb made in the old comb shop. 

Miss Fanny Hall— Pair of brass can- 
dlesticks with extinguishers. 

2\if. Obst — Centennial flag made iir 
1876; German pewter lamp made for 
whale oil ; lantern made for whale oil ; 
match safe cut from stone ; case of rnin- 
erals; case of copper coins; Revolution- 
ary powder flask; one Wedgwood vase 
known to be Over 100 years old : one- 
ruby vase; two Egyptian vases.. 

Mrs. Hotchkiss — ^Counterpane; lace 
veil ; caps, china plates ; piece of paper 
money 1779, hand bag; singing books; 
tobacco box made by Ladives Hotchkiss 
140 years ago ; stand spread ; Indian rel- 
ics. 

Mrs. Bloomfield — Candelabra; copy of 
the first Hartford Courant ; old Jew- 
elry; baby dress: lace collar; feather 
fan ; liellows. 

Mrs. Brown — Clock made in the black 
forest of Germany, 1720; an original 
Willard clock ; a soup tureen bought 
about the time of Revolutionary war; 
two blue platters; one willow a hun- 
dred years old ; blue and white and a 
brown cover lid ; Japanese fan ; tea pot 
and five cups and saucers, green; pair 
of wooden shoes from Holland ; drum 
that went through the Mexican war; 
l)reast pin. 

.A. P. Hall — Three table cloths, home 
spun and woven ; woolen sheet ; head 
bag; counterpane; blue and white cov- 
erlid; tea cups and tea pot for child, 
bought in 1807; hetchel for flax. 

William Bannister — Andirons and 
bellows. 

Mrs. A. E. Castelow — Ginger jar; 
toddy spoon ; pair blue and white cur- 



360 



CHNTKNNIAL OF M KRIDKN', 



tains; towel; tortoise shell plate; wine 
ghiss ; wooden bowl ; back comb. 

Lester W. Smith — Razor in wooden 
case, 100 years old ; picture pioneer 
camp, Second brigade. Third Division, 
Second corps, 12x14; picture. Winter 
Quarters, Stony Mountain, Virginia, 
Second Brigade, Third Division, Sec- 
ond Corps, 16x20, sketched by G. W. 
Hill, member of Company G. 

F. L. Lewis — Piece of a diamond 
ledge secured from South Africa about 

1845- 

Mrs. F. E. Hubbard — Flint lock gun, 
concussion cap gun, one of the first of 
tl:e kind made. 

Jesse Sands — Pair blue curtains, old 
weave ; picture, Robert Coe's English 
Residence; typewritten list of the first 
settled churches in Connecticut; sever- 
al family Coats of Arms ; commission 
chart, signed by Gen. John Winthrop; 
pair whale oil parlor lamps, blue and 
white. 

Mrs. Frank Sands — Tall vase, cab- 
inet chest, old fashioned coffee urn. 

Mrs. Garry Bloomfield — Pair blue 
(Curtains, 100 years old. 

]\Irs. IMausey — Snuff box, 130 years 
c!d; ink stand, 200 years old. 

Horatio Wilbur— Almanacs 1762-1799; 
Vindication of the Eternal Law and 
Everlasting Gospel, 1707; Gentlemen's 
magazine; wood from Nathan Hale 
school house in East Haven; hat shield 
cockade, 7th company. Fifth Regiment, 
War 1812; sampler, 1797; old crepe 
shawl ; cane turned from wood in First 
Congregational church, Middletown, 
l)uilt 1749; clothespin made by hand. 

Mrs. John H. Butler— Major Cowles' 
sword case. 

N. U. Beckwith— Corset, I25_ years 
old; stone mortar with pestle; tin lan- 
tern, 100 years old ; brown and white 
counterpane. 

Mrs. H. S. Savage— Chain in the Ben- 
edict Arnold family 130 years; plate 
with picture of victory of Commodore 
MacDonald of Middletown; salt cellar 
made in 1700. 

Mrs. L. F. Griswold — Pipe made out 
of stone, 260 years ago, by a Pequot In- 
dian, flip glass and pitcher. 

Mrs. R. C. Merriam— Eight teaspoons, 
cream ladle, two table spoons, two small 
vases, one vase, one sugar bowl. 

Nathan Baldwin — Bead bag; band- 
Ixox; carpet bag; old lace; tea pot, 1787; 
vest; kerchiefs; candle moulds; corner 
«C'ipboard. 



Mrs. F. T. Ives — Two waists (colo- 
nial) ; cloak (colonial). 

Miss Mary Brooks — Flowing blue 
plate, flowers and fruit, 95 years old; 
cup, saucers and plate, mulberry, 80 
years old ; two bronze lustre drinking 
cups, 86 years old ; Henry Clay sauce 
plate (glass), 57 years old; flowing 
blue sugar bowl, no years old. 

iMrs. John Davis — Iron candlestick, 
100 years old; two fluid lamps, 70 
years old. 

Lucy Belden — Feather sleeve cape, 73 
years old; wedding vest, 67 years old; 
pair silver knee buckles, 200 j'ears old. 

Mrs. John Parker — Pair of tongs; 
three brown plates, 100 years old ; soup 
tureen and ladle, 100 years old; brown 
vegetable dish, 100 years old. 

Mrs .Higby — Tall punch glass, three 
light blue plates; light blue teapot; two 
dark blue plates ; three light mulberry 
plates ; white teapot, flowered. 

Frank Ekmark — Cup made in Swe- 
den. 

R. M. Breckenridge — Cap, epaulets 
and belt worn by R. Moss Brecken- 
ridge, when a member of the Horse 
Guard before the Civil war; foot stove, 
over 100 years old; piece of British 
ship Somerset, third in line that landed 
troops at Battle of Bunker Hill, June 
17. 1775; stone hatchet. 

Mrs. Oliver Rice — Pincushion made 
from bridal dress of the first pastor's 
wife, Mrs. Theophilus Hall, woven in 
1721, now one hundred and eighty-five 
years old. Verses attached. 

Mrs. Hinsdale Rice — Looking glass. 

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Catlin— Pieceof 
Mrs. Rev. Theophilus Hall's wedding 
dress ; fluid lamps used after whale oil 
became too costly; five shawls; two 
hand-made lace caps ; silk cape covered 
with milk-weed down, made by Mrs. 
Doctor Catlin; Mrs. Doctor B. H. Cat- 
lin's wedding dress; Doctor B. H. Cat- 
lin's wedding vest; sewing bird manu- 
factured in Meriden ; spool holder; sil- 
ver spectacles, extension bows ; pocket 
ink stand and quill pen; musket, hav- 
ersack, knapsack and canteen carried 
by W. H. Catlin in the Civil war; two 
turnkeys for pulling teeth used by Dr. 
B. H. Catlin; plug tobacco, taken in 
exchange from rebel pickets, 1863, W. 
H. Catlin; birch swab for "dipping 
snuff"; quilted petticoat; Chippendale 
chair seat worked by W. H. Catlin's 
mother. 

W. H. Catlin— Old crockery. 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



3OI 



Mrs. Edward H. Yale — Mortar and 
pestle used by Dr. Theophilus Hall, 
grandson of the first minister in Mer- 
iden ; long handled waffle iron ; two 
silk waists made from the wedding dress 
of iMrs. Harvey Miller. 

Mrs. Charles A. Miller — Infant caps, 
worn by Mrs. Deacon John Yale in 
1808. also worn by wife of Mrs. Har- 
vey Miller when a baby; lace veil; high 
bacV comb, old quilt 

Miss Abby Ann Bradley — Bible car- 
ried by Ezekiel Royce I through 
French and Indian War; horn, presum- 
ably for rum, "first aid to the injured," 
carried by said Ezekiel Royce. 

Mrs. Oliver Rice — Copy of Blue 
Laws of Connecticut. 

Mrs. E. W. Smith — Quilt, dating back 
to Revolutionary War. 

Mrs. A. O. Burt — Shawl, property of 
Mrs. Armenia Pepper, 80 years old; 
linen pieces, flax raised, spun and woven 
^3y Armenia Pepper's mother, 100 years 
old : black veil, property of Armenia 
Pepper, 75 years old ; blue willow ware 
platter, property of Diana Jopson, 75 
}ears old. 

Geo. M. Lucas — Collection fractional 
currency; small mirror. 

]\liss Kate Howell Hamlin — A small 
brooch; long shawl; three china teapots; 
china cup and saucer : two bead bags ; 
china pickle leaf, Staffordshire. 

Mrs. Baldwin — Black plate, Catskill 
Mt. House; cup, plate, mulberry; case 
bottles ; large brown bottles ; large blue 
edged platter ; black teapot ; wooden 
comb made in Meriden. 

Mrs. C. T. Dodd — Set of silver; 
warming pan; quadruped plate; cad- 
mus gravv boat. 

Mrs. N. L. Bradley— Ruth Hart's 
needle book ; two samples of fabric from 
which the Sandwich Island natives 
made their dresses ; cup and saucer, 
wedding china of Mrs. Levi Bradley; 
cup and saucer, wedding china of Mrs. 
Selden Peck; custard cup; cup, plate; 
bed quilt pieced by N. L. Bradley and 
his sister, Abby Bradley, 10 and 7 years 
of age. 

Miss Lucy Peck — Snuff box brought 
from Honolulu, S. I., about 1830; Gen. 
Selah Hart's vest; tiger dish; carved 
stand, piece of Mrs. Selden Peck's wed- 
ding furniture; one pewter dish; old 
■deeds. 

Mrs. Oliver Swan— "Little Reader." 

John C. By.xbee— Tall clock; light 
:stand; large blue platter. 



Mrs. A. R. Boardman — Pewter plate; 
embroidery ; brass candlestick. 

Albert Wilco.x — Paper on "Early 
Houses and Buildings on Colony 
Street'' ; "Old Buildings on Britannia 
Street"; Aleriden Directory for 1849; 
"Boston News Letter," Apr. 17-24, 1704"; 
Supplement to the "Conn. Courant," 
1836; Amos White's account book, 
1776-17S0; daguerreotype of Henry T. 
Wilcox ; daguerreotvpe of Elizabeth 
White Wilcox (Mrs. Henry T. Wil- 
cox), granddaughter of Amos White; 
daguerreotvpe of Eleazer Scovil, b. 1780. 
d. 1868, father of Mrs. H. T. Wilcox; 
mantel clock set up, showing wooden 
works ; ancient gridiron (very rusty) ; 
Views of ]\Ieriden framed; facsimile 
of pen and ink draft of proclamation of 
Abraham Lincoln freeing slaves. 

Miss Jennie Wood — Green silk cakish. 

Mrs. Harry T. King — One Hundred 
and Ninety Sermons on the One Hun- 
dred and Nineteenth Psalm, by Rev. 
Thos. Manton, D. D., 1680; small look- 
ing glass ; pictures of the Caspar Hall 
place. East Meriden ; crewel work pic- 
ture ; mahogany work stand ; cherry ta- 
be; candle stand. 

Mrs. J. Q. Thayer — Ancient scissors; 
hair wreath; bead purse; small satin 
shawl ; shell comb and side combs ; em- 
broidery ; ancient spoon for measuring 
tea; wedding ring, 1758; wedding ring, 
1820. 

Mrs. Wm. J. Roberts, Hartford— Sec- 
retary. 

Henry Beach — Large mahogany sofa. 

Mrs. E. A. Wilson — Large lacquer 
tray. 

Mrs. C. S. Perkins — Small pitcher. 

Elmer Spencer — Bead purse ; and- 
irons, warming pan. 

Mrs. Clive — Umbrella, whalebone 
frame. 

Mrs. Leverett Stocking — Counterpane. 

Mrs. Emily Johnson— Warming pan; 
foot stove; snuffers; silver candle- 
sticks ; candle moulds ; spinning wheel ; 
"The British Carpenter, a Treatise on 
Carpentery," 1768; "Zion's Harp," 1813; 
doll mittens. 

E. A. Boardman — "A Monument of 
Parental Affection or the Christian's 
Triumph Over Death," 1814; "Elements 
of Useful Knowledge," 1806 (just 100 
years ago) ; Reward of merit given to 
E. A. Boardman. 

Nelson Johnson — "Pocket Chronolog- 
ical Directory," 181 7. 



l62 



CliXTKNXlAL OK .M ICKIDICX. 



Mrs. Sherman Johnson — Fox's Book 
of Martyrs; Pair of snuffers and tray. 

Mrs. J. M. Harmon — Lot of pewter 
doll dishes; lead ink well, lead image; 
two bead bags. 

Mrs. G. H. Wilson — -Silver teaspoon 
150 years old; wedding stockings. 

Mrs. Emily Johnson — Dr. Hough's 
(Isaac) chair. 

Miss Blanche Paddock — Handsome 
looking glass, 100 years old. 

Mrs. W. L. Home — Black lace shawl; 
black lace fan; Spanish lace scarf; 
thread lace fully no years old; hand- 
kerchief made by the Misses Kenmara, 
Ireland. 

Miss Eunice Fowler — Carpet bag 
made bv Jedediah Wilcox Co., be- 
twen 1848-58. 



Mrs. C. E. Hewitt — Bead purse made 
in Germany; bed spread (very hand- 
some); two blue plates; epaulet from 
uniform of her grandfather worn 
when British entered Stonington 1812. 

Mrs. A. A. May — Uniform worn dur- 
ing Civil war. 

^Irs. Arnold — Snuff box, belonged to 
George Butler, a Revolutionarv soldier 
at the Battle of Bunker Hill ; black lace 
veil over 100 years old ; button on wed- 
ding gown of mother of Elihu Burritt, 
1796; snuff box carried through Revolu- 
tionary war ; card case brought over at 
same time; chenille scarf made in 1787 
and one made in 1812; hand embroid- 
ered handkerchief, 1840; lace collar, 
1812. 

IMrs. T. S. Alexander — Account book 
1701; Watt's Hymns, 1807. 



COLLECTION LOANED BY GEORGE M. CURTIS. 



STAFFORDSHIRE WARE. 

Plate, brown, with view of Monte 
Video, near Hartford. 

Plate, brown, with view of Hartford. 

Plate, blue, with view near Philadel- 
phia. 

Plate, blue, with view of Moulin-Sur- 
la-Marne. 

Plate, blue, with view of City Hall, 
New York. 

Plate, blue, with view of Landing of 
the Pilgrims. 

Large platter, blue, portrait of Wash- 
ington, etc., known as States platter. 

Perforated Willow bowl and platter. 

Statuette, Romeo and Juliet. 

Statuette, Highlander. 

Castleferd tea pot. 

Lowestoft bowl. 

Copper lustre tea pot. 

Silver lustre creamer and sugar. 

Copper lustre jug. 

Silver tea pot, hall marked ; time of 
(jeorge III. 

Silver salt cellar, hall marked ; time 
of George III. 

Silver cow creamer, hall marked ; 
time of George HI. 

Silver spoon ; so-called "Rat Tailed" 

pattern ; Colonial period. 

Silver shoe and knee buckles ; Revo- 
lutionary^ period. 

Ancient horn mounted spectacles and 
case. 

Ancient watch ; about 1750. 



Ivory snuff box, with miniature. 

Old French ivory pocket sun dial. 

Ancient tea caddy ; mahogany. 

Ancient ear trumpet. 

.\ncicnt glass bottle. 

Ancient pewter bowl and spoon. 

Ancient ivory patch box; gold 
mounted, containing lock of hair. 

Ancient miniature, mounted in gold, 
with lock of hair woven in; time of 
Revolutionary period. 

Ancient sampler, embroidered by Ma- 
ria Curtis. 

Ancient Chippendale chair ; time 
1740-1750; upholstered with old Flem- 
ish tapestry. 

Ancient Dutch chair ; rush bottom ; 
time 1750-1760. 

Loomis shelf clock. 

Shaving desk and glass ; once owned 
by Fitz-Greene Halleck. 

AUTOGRAPH LETTERS. 

Wm. Ledyard, hero of Fort Gris- 
wold massacre'; dated 1773. 

Jonathan Belcher, governor of Mas- 
sachusetts; dated 1734. 

Gov. Jonathan Trumbull, of Connec- 
ticut; dated 1777. 

Letter and Portrait of John Trum- 
bull, painter of Washington's portrait. 

Capt. Samuel Mason to Elizabeth 
Hallam of New London ; letter was 
carried to INIrs. Mallam by Oweneco, 
son of Uncas, as appears by direction 
of Mason, inscribed on letter; dated 
1704. 



C'KMTKXXIAL OF .MKKIDKX. 



363 



Chas. Dickens. 

Commission of Wm. Tryon, as colo- 
nel ; signed by George III ; Tryon was 
governor of New York, and had charge 
of the British invasion of New Haven 
in 1779. 

Book plate of Andrew Belcher, fath- 
er of Governor Belcher. 

Book plate of Andrew Belcher, Jr. 

Portrait of Gov. Jonathan Belcher. 

Old colored print of New Haven 
green, showing churches and State 
house. 

Engraved portrait of General Wash- 
ington, published in Paris about 1786. 

Engraved portrait of General Wash- 
ington, about 1800. 

Engraved portrait of General Wash- 
ington, by James Heath. 

BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS. 

Camden's Britannia, published in 
1695, containing autograph of Timothy 
Cutler, president of Yale college in 
1722, afterwards first rector of the old 
North church in Boston ; and also the 
autographs of Thomas Newton (prose- 
cuting attorney in the Salem witch- 
craft trials) and -Mather Byles, the 
noted Congregational divine of a some- 
what later period. 

Vade ]\Iecum, or collection of texts 
for sermons, published in 1647, and 
once the property of Rev. Eliphalet 



Adams, pastor of the church in New 
London in the middle of the eight- 
eenth centurv; his name inscribed on 
fly leaf. 

Acts and Laws of his Majesty's Col- 
ony of Connecticut; 1750. 

Rev. Jas. Dana's Centurj' Sermon, 
delivered in Wallingford, 1770. 

Rev. Thcophilus Hall's sermon on 
I'aith .delivered in Meriden, 1761. 

Eight almanacs, ranging in dates 
from 1 758- 1 77 1. 

President Ezra Stiles' History of the 
Three Judges, published 1794. 

So called "Breeches Bible," published 
in 1599. 

Manuscript on vellum' of the four- 
teenth century; Missal or Mass book; 
the work of a French monk, and il- 
luminated in gold and colors, and with 
twenty-four miniatures of sacred sub- 
jects. 

Manuscript on vellum; fifteenth cen- 
tury; Missal or Mass book; the work 
of a French monk and illuminated in 
gold and colors. 

Bishop Berkeley's "Theory of Vis- 
ion," presented by him to Rev. Samuel 
Johnson of Stratford, and afterwards 
owned by his son, Wm. Samuel John- 
son, president of King's (now Colum- 
bia) college, and first United States 
senator from Connecticut ; contains the 
book plate of the latter. 



.<64 



CliNTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Old Home Week Visitors 



Among the thousands who visited 
Aleriden during Centennial week the 
daily papers made mention of the fol- 
lowing: 

Harry Randall, who was in town for 
the week, visiting his aunt, Mrs. Wil- 
liam Benzinger, of Pratt street, is re- 
membered as the little bellboy at the 
W'inthrop and also as the mascot of 
famous Black Skulls, when they used 
to win the big masquerade prizes, given 
by the Turners and the Y .G. A. A. 
He has for some time been connected 
with the King's County hotel at 19 
Broadwa}', Brooklyn. In a recent issue 
of the New York Daily News his cut 
appeared and with it the following in- 
scription : "President of the New York 
branch of the natives of Meriden, 
Conn. Meriden celebrates its looth 
ani:iversary in June and Mr. Randall 
is arranging for a trip of the many 
natives of that thriving city- who now 
reside in New York, 'back to the old 
home' to participate in the observance 
which will occupy a week." 

John J. Kavanaugh, of New York 
city, a former Meriden young man, 
spent the week with his mother, Mrs. 
Ann Kavanaugh, of Goodwill avenue. 

Miss Alice McCormack, of Bridge- 
port, was the guest of Meriden relatives 
during Centennial week. 

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott P. Stevenson, of 
Pittsfield. Mass., were home week vis- 
itors of Mrs. Stevenson's mother- Mrs. 
Charles Schweiger, 160 Cook avenue. 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hart, Mr. and 
Mrs. "William O. May, of Clinton, 
Mass., and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hart, 
of Talcottville, Conn., and the Misses 
Nellie and Susan Ross, of Firthcliffe, 
New York, were guests of Mr. and 
Mrs. James Hart- of Liberty street ex- 
tension. 

John M. Sweeney and Edward Calla- 
han, of Brooklyn, were guests of Mer- 
iden relatives. 



Miss Anna Hill, of Jersey City, N. 
J., was the guest of her cousin. Miss 
Elizabeth Fowler, of North Colony 
street. 

Mrs. William Cahill, of Hartford, 
formerly of Meriden, spent the week 
in the city. 

Miss Nellie Lynch, of Middletown. 
visited her cousins, the Misses Cahill, 
of Lewis avenue. 

Mr. and Mrs. James Barnes, of Bris- 
tol, were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Ed- 
ward Kraemer, of Center street. 

William Ford, of New York city, a 
former Meriden resident, visited his 
brother, A. J. Ford, of Pratt street. 

Miss Anna Kelly- of Waterbury, 
spent the week at her home on North 
Third street. 

Mrs. Richard Carroll, of Springfield, 
Mass., was a visitor. 

Miss Cora Mitchell, of Milford, was 
the guest of the Misses Powers of 
Pratt street. 

Miss Sarah Welch of Worcester, 
Mass., was the guest of her Meriden 
relatives. 

Mrs. Charlotte Wessels, of Jersey 
City, was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. 
F. J. Hall, of Crown street. 

Miss Williams, of New Haven, vis- 
ited Mr. and Mrs. John Pritchard, of 
South avenue. 

D. Youngholm and E. Stremlau, of 
Arlington, N. J., and F. Stremlau, of 
New Haven, were guests of Mr. and 
Mrs. J. C. Stremlau, 9 Gladwin place, 
for Centennial week. 

John Riggs, of Seymour, Conn.- was 
the guest of F. R. Storms, of Grave- 
line avenue. 

May A. Brielman, Pittsfield, Mass., 
visited Miss Mazie Carroll, Southing- 
ton avenue. 

Mrs. Mary F. Stevens, of Guilford, 
visited Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Stevens. 



CENTENNIAL OF MER'DKN. 



365 



Mrs. L. V. Gaylord, of Branford, vis- 
ited Mrs. B. F. Pomeroy, also Mr. and 
Miss Daily of New York citv, visited 
Mrs. B. F. Pomeroy. 

Mrs. S. F. Smith, of New York city 
visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. 
Neuber, of Cherry street. 

E. J. Higby, of Derb\-, was in town 
Thursday to attend the Centennial cel- 
ebration. Mr. Higby is traveling for a 
hardware firm of that place. 

]\'Iiss Caroline C. Leete, of East Riv- 
er, visited William H. Harvey, of in 
Crown street. 

Misses Cora and Rebecca Charest- of 
Waterbury, visited Miss Elphidia 
Charest, of Camp place. 

Miss Ella L. Mautte visited Mrs. F. 
R. Bowen, of Olive street. 

George M. Pratt and son, of Middle- 
town, visited Mr. Pratt's sister, Mrs. 
Eliza Bowen, of 173 Crown street. 

Misses Lillian and Fannie Clark vis- 
ited their aunt, Mrs. F. R. Bowen. 

William G. Schanz and daughters, Ida 
and j\Iinna, of Rockville, and Mr. and 
Mrs. J. Lewis of Hartford, visited the 
Misses Pickhardt of State street. 

Mrs. J. Sn}-der, the Misses Mary and 
Flora Snyder, of Rockville, and Mas- 
ter F. Masse, of Black Rock, were 
guests of Misses Pickhardt, State 
street. 

Mrs. Gowan and Miss Frieda Roloff, 
of Hartford, stayed with Mr. and Mrs. 
A. E. Ebert of Akron street. 

Harold Alexander had as his guests 
Thursday, William and Jessie Hilditch, 
Ernestine Chouinard and Ida Patter- 
son- all of Thompsonville. 

Hon. John S. Cheney of Manchester, 
was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Fred- 
erick W. Wakefield. 

E'ldridge Feree and son, Franklin, of 
Middletown, were guests of Mr. and 
Mrs. C. L. Johnson, of Crown street. 

Miss Arlan Scott of Boston and Cor- 
nelius C. Gardner of New York, were 
guests of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Gardner. 

]Mrs. P. J. Concannon and daughter, 
Mrs. Leonard Currier, of New Haven, 
former Meriden residents, were among 
the visitors Thursday. 

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Waldron and 
family of Brooklyn, formerly of the 
Waldron house, were the guests of Ben- 
jamin Wilkinson, of Wood street, for 
the week. 



John A. McCormack, of Stamford, 
spent Centennial week with his Meriden 
friends. 

Miss Cora Loomis, a teacher from 
Spring City, Pa., and Miss Eleanor 
Loomis, of Westchester, Pa., were 
guests of Rev. and Mrs. A. E. Harris. 

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McMahon, of 
Torrington, former residents of this 
city, were visitig here. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Dunlop and two 
children. Kenneth and Geraldine, of 
Hartford, were guests of Mr. and Mrs. 
James Dunlop, of Elm street. 

J. C. Stillman, of Newburg, N. Y., 
visited Mrs. Aubrey, of 102 Crown 
stret, druing centennial week. 

Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Walsh and little 
daughter, of Hartford, spent the week 
with Mr. Walsh's mother on Swain 
avenue. 

Rev. E. W. Husted, of Tarrytown. 
N. Y.' former pastor of the Main street 
Baptist church, visited friends on Chest- 
nut street. 

Miss Eva Cadorette. of Turners' 
Falls, Mass., and Miss Stella Dauphin- 
ais, of Greenfield, Mass., were the guests 
of Mrs. Edward Hart, 31 North First 
street, during the festival week. 

Thomas Macy, of Greeley> Col., a 
brother of Miss Anna Macy, was the 
guest of H. A. Curtiss. 

Mrs. S. E. Parshlev, of Middletown; 
Mrs. Chas. R. Fow'ler, of Westfield. 
Mass.; Mrs. J. A. Gaylord, of Hadley, 
Mass. ; and Miss Mary Miller, of South 
Hadley, Mass., spent the week with 
Mrs. I. O. Ives. 

Miss Sarah Saunders- of New Haven, 
visited Mr. and Mrs. M. Strauss, of 
Lewis avenue. 

Miss Hattie Lockrow, of Lynn, Mass., 
spent the week with her mother, Mrs. 
M. J. Lockrow, Hanover street. 

Mrs. Charles Hickox. of Hartford, 
spent the week with friends on Gold 
street. 

Arthur L. Bradle}', a former resident 
of this city, was the guest of friends 
^londay, taking a part in the parade. 

Mrs. Charles Beyerle, of Brooklyn. 
N. Y., visited her father, Fred Monck- 
meyer, on Crown street. 

Miss Margaret Schafmeister, of 
Ossining, N. Y., a former Kensington 
avenue resident, was the guest of ^ler- 
iden friends. 



s66 



CExXTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Doolittle, of New 
Haven, were greatly pleased with the 
parade. 

Charles Collins looked and played 
well in Hatch's band. Mr. Collins is a 
former Meridenite and learned his trade 
in Rogers' shop. 

Mrs. Charles Fyfe came down from 
Toronto, Ont., to take in the sights. 

John S. Lewis, a former resident, 
came up from the shore to play with 
the Military band. All the local mu- 
sicians managed to shake hands with 
the trombonist. 

Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Kellogg and 
children, of Pittsfield, Mass., were in 
town over the Centennial. Mr. Kellogg 
is connected with the John Hancock 
Life Lisurance Co. as assistant super- 
intendent in that place. 

Mrs. E. Heuer of Houston, Texas, 
was in town for the Centennial. 

Mr. and Mrs. O. Maitland Skidgell, 
of Hartford, with their son, Thornton, 
spent the week with friends. 

Mrs. Joseph Loy, of Ilion, N. Y., 
spent her vacation with her parents. 
Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson Lawrence, of 
103 View street. 

T. J. Ware, of Vineland. N. J., en- 
joyed the Centennial with R. B. Ware 
and family of Murray street. 

Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Ross and son 
Robert, of Torrington- Conn., were the 
guests of Mrs. F. P. Hayes and son of 
New Hanover avenue. Mr. Ross is a 
veteran of the civil war and a former 
resident of South Meriden. 

Dr. F. B. Otis and his mother, Mrs. 
M. E. Otis, of Brooklyn, N. Y., Mrs. 
F M. Sanford and Miss Kate Sanford, 
of Torrington. were guests of Mr. and 
Mrs. H. G. Morse- of Linsley avenue 
(luring the Centennial. 

Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Bedell and Mrs. 
Mary Russell, of New Haven, were 
guests of Mrs. M. J. CuHen, of Twiss 
street. 

John E. Somers and family, of Brook- 
lyn, N. Y., reached Meriden on Wednes- 
day, and enjoyed the remainder of the 
Centennial. Mr. Somers looks little 
older than when he was a member of 
the ATeriden police force quite a num- 
ber of years ago, or later, when he 
became one of the founders of the suc- 
cessful firm of Little, Somers & Hyatt. 

Mr. and Mrs. .Albert Hems, of Wal- 
lingford, visited with Mrs. Hem's pa- 



rents, 198 Pratt street, during Centen- 
nial week. 

Captain George Hyland, of Indian 
Neck, arrived Wednesday to spend a 
couple of days. 

Miss Albina Osborn, of Danbury, vis- 
ited Mr. and Mrs. Richards. 

Mrs. Van Wort, of Boston, visited 
her daughter, Mrs. W. J. Hyland. 

Mary and Adolph Flohr- of New 
York City, were guests of Mrs. Mary 
Faeth. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Corbett and Mrs. J. 
E. Corbett, of Hartford, were guests 
of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Costigan. 

Conrad Miller, of Washington, D. C, 
formerly of Meriden, was home for the 
week. 

Mrs. E. de la Chevratiere and son, 
Antonio of Ste. Anna de la Perade, 
Canada, visited her sister- at No. 9 
Park street, Mrs. D. Frazier and her 
son, E. de la Chevratiere. 

Miss Mae Mulvey, of New Haven, 
visited her cousin, Mrs. John McWee- 
ney, of Yale street. 

Major S. M. Gladwin, of Hartford, 
Captain Franklin Dart of Noroton, Al- 
bert Walker of Norwich and Norman 
L. Hope of Hartford were guests of 
Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Wakefield dur- 
ing the G. A. R. encampment. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ballon and sons, Clar- 
ence and Harr\'. were the guests of 
Mr. and Mrs. Orrin Carpenter, of Cat- 
lin street. 

Mr. and Mrs. L. F. Parker had as 
their guests Mr. and Mrs. R. B. An- 
drews, of Lee, Mass. 

Mrs. R. J. Vance and family of New 
Britain were guests of Mr. and Mrs. 
W. D. Parker of Kensington Heights. 

Miss Alice McCarthy, of Hartford- 
spent the week with Meriden relatives. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards, of 
Springfield. Mass., former Meriden 
residents, stayed the week with their 
relatives in this city. 

Thomas Maxwell, of Farmington, 
formerly of this city, spent Centennial 
week in this city. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Maloney, of New 
York city, visited Meriden relatives. 

Edward H. Smith, of Thompson- 
viile, was the guest of Meriden friends. 

Mr. and Mrs. John P. Allen, of 
York, Pa., were the guests of Mr. and 
Mrs. Henrv Warren. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



367 



Air. and Mrs. S. Hugo and Mr. and 
Mrs. Frederick Lutz, of New Haven, 
were guests of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. 
Bauer, of Colony street. 

The Misses McAllister, of Danbury, 
were the guests of the Misses Martin, 
of Goodwill avenue. 

Frank Collins, of the Wauregan ho- 
tel. Norwich, formerly of the Meriden 
house, was a visitor. 

Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Hurley, of Wor- 
cester, Mass., were guests of Miss E. 
G. Hurley. 

Mrs. George A. Kennedy, of Buffalo, 
X. Y., formerly Miss Katherine A. 
Gragan, was a visitor here. 

Richard Scharmer, of Winsted, was 
home with his parents. 

Thomas Lacroix, a former Meriden 
T)oy, spent a few days with relatives. 
Mr Lacroix is practicing medicine 
with Dr. A. P. Larcin, of Atlantic City, 
N. J. 

Mrs. August Adler, August, Carl and 
Rose, of Brooklyn, N. Y., were guests 
of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Rule, of 32 
Lima street. 

Mr. and Mrs. Levi B. Curtis, of Wey- 
mouth, Mass., were guests of Attorney 
and Mrs. George A. Fay. 

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lane, of Mys- 
tic, were the guests of Ives W. Hart. 

Mrs. S. M. Paddock was in town for 
the week. 

]\Iiss Katherine A. Greene, of Flor- 
ence. Mass., visited her sister, Mrs. 
Elizabeth A. Butler. 

Miss Susie Dalton, of Bridgeport, 
was the guest of Miss Anna Walsh, of 
Sherman avenue. 

Samuel F. Hayes, of Portland, Me., 
who formerly was employed here, re- 
turned to his home after spending a 
very enjoyable week with his Meriden 
relatives. 

The Misses Sarah and Margaret 
Kane, of New York, were the guests 
of Meriden friends. 

Mrs. Mary Norcott Mix, of New 
Haven, aged eighty-three, who was a 
much interested Centennial visitor, saw 
.-■11 the parades from a window in Dr. 
Hall's office. 

Mrs. H. J. Burgess and little daugh- 
ter, Gladys, of Philadelphia. Pa., spent 
the week with her parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. John H. Donahue, of Center 
street. Mrs. Burgess formerly lived in 



this citv and was a popular member of 
L. A., A. O. H., Division 15. 

Miss Margaret Coyne, of Pittsfield, 
Mass., formerly of this city, visited 
friends in town. 

Mrs. John Foley, of Middletown, vis- 
ited her cousin, Mrs. Wm. Corrigan, of 
Arch street. 

Mr. and Mrs. Willliam Wilcox, of 
Norwalk, visited Mr. and Mrs. J. Kel- 
ler, of Center street. 

William J. Larkins, of Bridgeport, 
a former well-known Meriden young 
man, visited his father, Lawrence Lar- 
kins. of South Broad street. 

Eugene W. Gilmartin. of Spoft'ert. 
N. H., spent the week with his parents, 
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gilmartin of Wind- 
sor avenue. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Ziegler, of East 
Hampton, Mass., visited their daugh- 
ter, Mrs. H. C. Kline. 

Mrs. Fred Kilbourne of Springfield, 
visited her father, Benjamin Page. 

Mrs Sarah Vaughan Horton of Prov- 
idence spent the week here. 

Mrs. Oliver Rice entertained a party 
of guests at her home on Goe avenue. 
Among them were iMrs. Betsy Rice 
Judd. of New York, and Mrs. Sarah 
Rice Parsons, of Washington, who 
were born here and were glad to see 
old friends. 

Mrs. Louis Krahl. of 212 Curtis 
street, entertained her uncle and aunt. 
Mr. and Mrs. George Woodford, of 
Leicester. England, for the week. Mr. 
Woodford is a manufacturer. 

Mrs. Delia E. Yale, of New Hart- 
ford. Conn., spent Centennial week with 
her niece. Mrs. P. D. Morin of War- 
ren street. 

Dr. and Mrs. E .S. Beckley. of Rock- 
ford. 111., visited their sisters. Mrs. J. 
C. Booth and Mrs. Fred Haaga. Dr. 
and Mrs. Beckley left here twenty years 
ago. 

Mrs. L. Grautrau and two children 
of Stamford visited Mr. and Mrs. Al- 
fred J. Gautrau, of 221 Center street. 

Mrs. Florence Chase Haight, former- 
ly of this city, was the guest of Mr. 
and Mrs. Albion C. Bumpus. 

Edward J. Gaffey. a well known mem- 
ber of the Young Men's T. A. B. so- 
ciety, who is now employed in Bridge- 
port, spent the week at his home in this 
citv. 



368 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIUEN. 



Col. and Mrs. Watson J. Miller of 
Shelton spent a few days here with 
relatives. 

Mr. and Mrs. William IMcKenzie 
visited with Benjamin Kennard. 

Casper Bull of Philadelphia visited 
relatives. 

James Redfield, of Hamilton, Cana- 
da, visited Mrs. Emma Redfield. 

Mrs. Willliam Potter, of Guilford, 
spent the week with her sister, Mrs. 
Fred Huntington. 

Sirneon P. Jonas, for some time past 
a resident of New Haven, was among 
the Meriden visitors, and he had a spe- 
cial interest in the firemen's division 
of Monday's big parade as he was for 
a good many years a member of the 
E. J. Doolittle Truck company. 

]\Irs. James Mulvaney and daughter, 
Aliss Jennie, of Fitchburg, Mass.. Mr. 
and l\Irs. Thomas Walker of Brooklyn, 
George Lawlor of New Britain, Mr. 
and Mrs. William Lawlor of Hartford, 
Mr. and Mrs. Gus Kammer, all for- 
mer residents and relatives of Mrs. Wil- 
liam Kenney and Charles A. Berry, 
were the guests of the last named for 
the week. 'Mr. Walker was formerlv a 
contractor jn this city. It is thirty 
years ago since some of them have vis- 
ited Meriden. They were royally en- 
tertained. Besides taking in the Centen- 
nial celebrities they visited Hubbard 
park and other places of interest. Mus- 
icales were held at the home of Mrs. 
Kenney and_Mr. Berry. Mr. and Mrs. 
John Toothill of Stamford were also 
guests of Mrs. William Kenney. 

Miss Charlotte ]\IcCarthy had as their 
guest, Mrs. Franklin Ives and daugh- 
ter. Miss Mabelle, of Southington. 

Mr. and Mrs. Martin Eddy, of Weth- 
ersfield, formerly of Meriden. were 
guests of Mr .and INTrs. Frank Rice 
of Grove street. 

Mrs. Livingston Campbell of New 
Haven, was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. 
W. Frances of Cherry street. 

Walton and Earl Studwell of Stam- 
ford arrived Monday on their motorcy- 
cles and were entertained during their 
stay by Mr. and Mrs. W. Spencer of 
Wood street. From here they went tn 
Boston on their wheels, but returned 
to participate in the doings of the week. 
_Mrs. Walter Reynolds of Providence 
visited her sister, Mrs. A. B. Clark, of 
Reservoir avenue. 



George W. Hall, of Forestville, vis- 
ited his daughter, Mrs. W. A. Hill, of 
South Colony street. 

Miss Faith Gerard of Rutherford, 
New Jersey, visited her uncle, Joseph 
Gerard of Sylvan avenue. 

Julius Newell of Rockville was the 
guest of W. H. H. George, of Stone 
street, for a few days. Mr. Newell was 
in the Eleventh Connecticut regiment 
with Mr. George and marched with 
the old vetterans Tuesday. 

Miss Hazel Spencer of Ware, Mass., 
spent Centennial week with friends in 
this city. Miss Spencer is a native of 
Meriden. 

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dupleisses of 
Waterbnry, formerly residents of Mer- 
iden, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. 
George O. Spencer of Hanover street. 
Mrs. Warren A. Ferris of Stamford 
was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. William 
Spencer of 54 Wood street. 

Postmaster William H. Kelsey and 
wife of Clinton, were guests of his 
brother. Letter Carier Charles S. Kel- 
sey. 

Miss Mae Cain, of New York city, 
visited Mr. and Mrs. John Ryan, of 
Arch street. 

Thomas Kelleher, of Seymour, was 
a Meriden guest. 

Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Alvord, of Mor- 
ris, Conn., were guests of Miss Lillie 
McLoughlin, of South avenue. 

Mr. and Mrs. James Catlin and 
daughter. Miss Mae Catlin. of Hart- 
ford, were guests of friends in this city. 
Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Curtin and 
daughter, of New York city, Mr. and 
Mrs. M. J. Doyle and daughter of New- 
Britain, Joseph McGann and friends, 
Dinny and ]\Ir. Donnelly, of Orange, 
N. J., visited Mrs. Catherine McGann. 
of Maple street. 

Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Hill, of Bridge- 
port, former Meriden residents, spent 
the week with Mr. Hill's parents on 
Hobart street. 

Thomas P. Casey, of New York, who 
formerly conducted a tailoring shop on 
East Main street, came home. 

The Misses Mae, Ida Susie. Alice 
and John Dalton. of Bridgeport, for- 
merly of this city, were guests of their 
cousin, Miss Julia Hughes. 

Mr. and Mrs. John Reynolds, of 
Bridgeport, visited Mr. Reynolds' sis- 



C E X T I-: X X I . \ L O F .M Iv R I n I-: X . 



3^'9 



ter, Mrs. Eliza ]\IcLoughlin, of South 
avenue. _ Mr. Reynolds was a member 
of the famous Stow baseball team that 
made Meriden famous in the seventies. 

Arthur Ball, of Boston, spent the 
week with his aunt, INIrs. P. H. Russell 
of Colony street. 

Peter Montrie, of New London, for- 
merly ot Meriden, was the guest of his 
local friends. 

Mr. and Mrs. Norman C. Smith, of 
Newark, N. J., formerly of this city, 
were here. 

Rudolph Born, of Forestville, a for- 
mer Meriden Turner society leader, 
was here for the turnfest and the cel- 
ebration. 

Mrs. Charles M. Greene, of Canan- 
daigua, N. Y., and Mr. and Mrs. I. R. 
Curtis, of Newark, N. J., were guests of 
Mr and Mrs. John Hull, of 334 Broad 
street. 

Misses Martha Welch, Mae Kennery, 
Katherine Morrison, of Springfield; 
Gertrude Parker, of Holyoke ; Mary 
Welch and Margaret Garrity. of South- 
ington, were the guests of Miss Kittie 
Ryan, of Hobart street. 

John Maney, of Orchard, Me., was 
with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward 
Maney, of Center street. 

Roland L. Dryhurst, brother of Post- 
master Henry Dryhurst, was here with 
his daughter, Margery, for the big home 
week. Mr. Dryhurst is now the assist- 
ant superintendent of the Rockford Sil- 
ver Plate company's factory at Rock- 
ford, 111., and it is seventeen years since 
his previous visit to Meriden. He was 
of course, greatly interested in Meri- 
den's Centennial. 

John F. Murden, who has been with 
Matthews & Willard, of Waterbury, 
since leaving the Bradley & Hubbard 
concern, was a Meriden visitor who re- 
newed old acquaintances. 



by house on Parker place. When quite 
young his father, Isaac W. Curtis, re- 
moved to the corner of High and Main 
streets in the house now occupied by 
James R. Sloane, and a few years later 
to a farm at the corner of Broad street 
and Gale avenue, where he lived until 
he was fourteen years of age, and then 
removed to Newark, N. J., where he is 
nov/ located. In that place he learned 
the jeweler's trade and followed that 
business for twenty years. In 1873 he 
started in the manufacture of an oil 
for polishing and brightening furniture, 
pianos and floors and has built up a 
business which now extends to all parts 
of the United States. 

Mr. Curtis was married in Newark 
at _ the age of twenty-nine. Three 
children were born to them, but only 
one survives. Miss Clara I. Curtis, a 
teacher in the schools of Newark. At 
the age of sixty Mr. Curtis began the 
study of hygiene and claims that from 
that practice of what he has learned 
his health has improved so that to- 
day he is healthier than ever before 
in his life. 



ISAAC R. CURTIS. 
One of the visitors to Meriden dur- 
ing the centennial was Isaac R. Curtis, 
of Newark, N. J., who was born in 
Meriden, Sept. 30, 1838, in the old Hig- 



JOSEPH P. BEACH. 

A centennial visitor who was as in- 
terested as any one in the growth of 
Meriden, was Joseph P. Beach, of 
Cheshire. Mr. Beach is a son of Moses 
Y. Beach, who was the founder of the 
New York Sun and who built a fine 
residence in Wallingford, the building 
now being used as a hotel — the well- 
known Marlborough house. 

Mr. Beach used to fish in Harbor 
Brook and remembers the town when 
it was a very small one. His recollec- 
tions of the Millerite movement, when 
a good many Meriden people bought 
white robes and went out on the "last 
day" and waited to ascend to heaven, 
are very interesting. 

Mr. Beach came into The Journal of- 
fice to learn where he could obtain 
tickets for the "First Town Meeting." 
He expressed himself as greatly im- 
pressed by the big celebration. Mr. 
Beach is the author of a history of 
Cheshire. 



24 



370 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Press Comments, Letters of Regret, Etc. 



HOLDS HER AGE WELL. 

[Hartford Post] 

To Miss Meriden : You really don't 
look it. 



GREAT WEEK FOR SILVER CITY. 
[Rockville Leader.] 
All roads will lead to Meriden this 
week. It will be a great week for the 
Silver City. 



GOOD WISHES. 
[Waterbury American.] 
Everybody wishes Meriden the best of 
weather and the most complete suc- 
cess in its celebration.. Meriden is a 
town that stands for the things which 
have given Connecticut its pre-eminence, 
industry, thrift and enterprise. 



FRISKY AS A COLT. 
[New Haven Register.] 
Meriden, one hundred years old. is 
as frisky as a colt and is celebrating 
its anniversary with every kind of joy- 
ful instrumentality. The soberer and 
more sedate city of New Haven begs to 
assure its neighbor of its unmitigated 
good will and affection. 



PLANS WELL CARRIED OUT. 
[New London Telegraph.] 

Meriden's Centennial has been ob- 
served in a way that reflects great 
credit on the citizens of that enteprris- 
ing place who made the arrangements. 
The city deserves to be highly com- 
mended for the finished manner in 
which its plans were carried out. 



CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE. 
[Bridgeport Standard.] 

Meriden is celebrating her Centennial 
anniversary as a town this week and is 
having a great time, with a continuous 



performance, lightning changes and all 
the concomitants of the "greatest show 
— of the kind — on earth." If her people 
survive the week without feeling two 
hundred years old at the end they will 
be fortunate, but this sort of a celebra- 
tion does not come every year. Three 
cheers for Meriden ! 



GOOD PRESS COMMITTEE. 
[Naugatuck News.] 
If any one in Connecticut is not 
aware of the fact that the city of Mer- 
iden is having a Centennial celebration 
this week it is not the fault of the cen- 
tennial press committee. They have ad- 
vertised the celebration far and near 
and have advertised it well, and for the 
able manner in which they have per- 
formed their work they are deserving 
of credit and a vote of thanks by the 
people of Meriden. 



ONE OF THE RESULTS. 

[Meriden Record.] 

The centennial is demonstrating one 
fact which some people had lost sight 
of — that Meriden was the scene of many 
historical incidents of as much inter- 
est as other places which have been 
more talked of. 

An occasional reference such as the 
allusion by George M. Curtis in his ad- 
dress, at the presentation exercises, to 
Major Shaylor, gives a personal touch 
to the narrative which is at once in- 
spiring and interesting. 

The little burying ground on "Meet- 
ing House Hill" takes on new signifi- 
cance when the history of some of those 
who are buried there is known. 

Such homeopathic doses of history 
are good for children. They lead them 
"by easy stages" to a time and place 
where they will be inspired to make 
investigations for themselves. 

The loan exibit, too, has proved 
quite a revelation to many. It really 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



371 



is an "open book" and the articles tell 
stories so charming and interesting that 
one is easily carried away to another 
epoch where manners and customs were 
radically different and which have had 
a bearing on succeeding generations. 



MERIDEN'S SUCCESS. 

[New London Day.] 

The citizens of Meriden are to be 
congratulated upon the success of the 
city's Centennial celebration. Blessed 
with find weather they have improved 
every shining hour. There has been 
something doing every day this week. 
Satisfied visitors have filled the town 
to overflowing. To carry out success- 
fully a celebration of such magnitude 
requires much planning, great enthus- 
iasm and plenty of hard work, and the 
grand result accomplished is ample evi- 
dence that the citizens of Meriden, both 
high and low, have unitedly put their 
hearts, heads and hands into the task. 



FINE LABOR PARADE. 
[Meriden Journal, June 13.] 

Another successful Centennial parade, 
that of the labor organizations to-day. 
The men presented a fine appearance 
and the decorated floats and vehicles 
were most attractive features. Of 
course but a very small part of the 
large membership of the labor unions of 
Meriden was represented by those in 
line, but it was an excellent representa- 
tion and impressed all spectators most 
favorably. 

Tt is well and good to praise our cap- 
tains of industry for what they have 
done for the town, but the men under 
them, the rank and file, the men but 
for whom the "captains" could have ac- 
complished nothing — these toilers are 
entitled to their full share of credit, aye 
and material reward. Probably many 
thought of this as the parade passed 
by ; at any rate there was an abundance 
of applause and other signs of appre- 
ciation that all must have noticed. La- 
bor showed up well on its special holi- 
day, doing its share to make a success 
of the celebration, and, being blessed 
with such splendid weather, we have no 
doubt will have an afternoon and even- 
ing of thorough enjoyment at its picnic 
festivities. We certainly hope so. 



COMPLIMENTS FOR MERIDEN. 
[Norwich Bulletin.] 

The present week the state sees Mer- 
iden making the most of a centennial 
anniversary and the opportunities inci- 
dental thereto ; and those who are ad- 
miringly looking on have to admit that 
Meriden is doing herself proud ! 

But while the anniversary habit is al- 
ways commendable, it is the every-day 
good municipal habit which contributes 
most to the advancement of any city. 
To be doing extraordinary things — to 
make a city attractive once in a while, 
is all right — but to keep a city clean, 
healthy, busy and attractive every day 
is the real praiseworthy accomplish- 
ment. 

Meriden has a habit of being attrac- 
tive all the time. In their civic pride 
the people keep the welfare of the city 
close to their hearts — they speak of 
home with that feeling of love and en- 
dearment which means so much. Mer- 
iden is their hobby as well as their 
hope. Meriden's good name is their 
good name — Meriden and her people are 
one and inseparable. 

That is the municipal spirit which 
should pervade every live community. 
It is above the carping of political or 
religious differences — it is the universal 
plane upon which civic harmony sits 
and presides for the common good. 
All the people are in it and it is all 
for all and all in all. It means power 
and it means progress and it means 
prosperit}^ 

The municipality so blessed is the 
envy of those who have not yet attained 
the municipal habit which is best and 
greatest — every man for the city and 
the city for ever}^ member of the muni- 
cipal family. 



EXPRESSION OF ADMIRATION. 
[Watcrbury Republican.] 
The city of Meriden is experiencing 
an even greater success with its Cen- 
tennial than was anticipated. Probably 
the Meridenites themselves were pre- 
pared for the advent of the great 
crowds, as they knew that they had pro- 
vided attractions that would draw the 
multitudes. But the rest of the state 
for the most part didn't realize what a 
really big event the Silver City had pre- 
pared to make of the one hundredth an- 
niversarv of its birth . 



37^ 



Cl'NTENNIAr. Ol' MI;KI1)KN. 



Meriden, however, has really outdone 
herself, and her sister cities are glad 
to acknowledge her achievement and 
express their admiration in no uncertain 
terms. In truth it is no small thing 
that has been done by the citizens of the 
enterprising community to the east of 
us. None in the state, it is safe to say, 
could have crowded into a week a series 
of more interesting events or arranged 
a programme of more general attrac- 
tiveness. The event justifies the judg- 
ment of the promoters, and the crowds 
and their evident enjoyment of the va- 
rious features attest the popularity of 
the whole celebration . 

The men of Meriden who have made 
the city what it is are deserving of con- 
gratulations. After all this celebra- 
tion is merely the outcome of the com- 
munity's enterprise in other directions, 
which has fostered its growth against 
natural handicaps that would have dis- 
heartened a less hardy and determined 
people. Meriden's hundred years of 
achievement are worth celebrating and 
the celebration, those who have visited 
the city during this notable week in its 
history are happy to testify, is worthy 
the achievement which it commemo- 
rates. 



CELEBRATION UNDER WAY. 
[Meriden Journal, June ii.] 

All goes well with Meriden's Centen- 
nial and Old Home week celebration. 
The events of Saturday evening, of yes- 
terday and of to-day up to this writing 
came off according to programme and 
met every expectation fully. Every- 
thing seems to be in splendid running 
order and there is no reason why it 
should not so continue throughout the 
week. It does not seem possible, after 
about ten days of unsettled weather, that 
we should have more of it, but even 
if there is a day or two more of rain 
it will not interfere with the general 
success of the celebration. Everybody 
is in the best of spirits, prepared for 
a week of the liveliest enjoyment, and 
sure to find it unless we are mightily 
mistaken. There may be clouds in the 
sky as there were this morning but 
there are none on the faces or spirits 
of those concerned with this great home 
jubilee. 

To the thousands of visitors we wish 
again to-day to repeat the welcome ex- 
tended to them by The Journal on Sat- 



urday. It rests with them entirely how 
much profit and pleasure they may de- 
rive during their stay here. The peo- 
ple of Meriden are more than pleased 
to greet and entertain them, and do 
most sincerely hope they may have no 
cause to regret their coming. Espe- 
cially glad are we to welcome back to 
the old home the many former residents 
of the town. We know they will re- 
joice to see how Meriden has pro- 
gressed, and will enter fully and heart- 
ily into the spirit of the week's festivi- 
ties. And when they go away again, if 
go they must, we know they must, we 
know they .will feel greater pride than 
ever in Meriden, and more vigorously 
than ever proclaim its many beauties and 
virtues. 

To-day for the first time we get some 
sort of an idea of the holiday appear- 
ance presented by the town. It is high- 
ly encouraging to note how widely and 
generously the citizens have entered in- 
to the spirit of the celebration. Never 
were finer or more liberal decorations 
for a place of this size. From the high- 
est to the lowest everybody is interested 
if not enthused. All seem happy if not 
actually so, and if there is any unfavor- 
able criticism it is buried in the depths 
of long, straggling whiskers and can- 
not be heard. And above all who are 
overjoyed, and who are being showered, 
as they well deserve to be, with con- 
gratulations, are the faithful, hard- 
working committeemen who have done 
so much to bring about the success 
which has crowned their long months 
of arduous, voluntary labor. 



PROUD OF MERIDEN. 

[Shore Line Times.] 

Meriden has done and is yet doing 
herself proud this week in the proper 
celebration of the looth anniversary of 
the incorporation of the town. The 
town is magnificently decorated from 
the center to its utmost limits, scarce- 
ly a business building, manufacturing 
plant or residence, no matter how im- 
portant or how humble, that does not 
exhibit some spirit of loyalty and pride 
by elaborate decoration or the display 
of a bit of color of patriotic design. 
Rich and poor, high and low, employer 
and employe have worked side by side 
to place on the pages of history records 
of a work well and nobl}^ accomplished. 



CENTEXNIAI. OF MEKIDKX. 



373 



The decorations viewed by dajdight 
are probably the most elaborate ever 
seen in the state and are certainly very 
beautiful. 

While the decorations and parades, 
the music and the speechmaking have 
all been on a grand scale, the most 
glorious feature of it all was the home- 
coming of hundreds of outlanders, na- 
tives who had wandered from their 
own firesides into new country and after 
a lapse of many years returned to the 
scenes of their childhood to live over 
again for a brief period the happy days 
when life had no sorrows for them and 
all was the cloudless sunshine of care- 
free youth; he could once more wan- 
der over his verdure-clad hills, the 
meadows and the valleys, and point 
with happy reminiscence to the spot 
where in the days of long ago some 
event, trivial in itself as viewed through 
maturer eyes, had transpired but which 
returned with glistening vividness down 
the vista of the years. * * * And 
thus we could continue to reminise to 
the end of the chapter as doubtless 
thousands of others can and have done 
during the week as they have returned 
to Meriden and visited old familiar 
spots. It was one of the glorious fea- 
tures of "Old Home week" and appre- 
ciated only by those who have wandered 
from the homestead of their youth. 

]\Ieriden should be proud of her 
achievements. We are proud of Meri- 
den. 



NEARING THE END. 
[Meriden Journal, June 15.] 

No showers to-day, up to this noon 
at least, in spite of yesterday's weath- 
er prediction. Perhaps our Centennial 
good hick will remain with us to the 
end. But at any rate the heavy work 
is all done and these remaining two 
days of an ever memorable week will 
be given over to more quiet enjoyment. 
After all we have been through we are 
about ready to take things easier and 
rest a little. And it will afford the 
home-comers an opportunity to get 
around more freely and look up old 
friends. 

It's truly surprising how large a 
number of former residents embraced 
this opportunity to revisit the old town. 
They were to be met on every hand 
and it was refreshing to see how much 



pleasure they seemed to be having. If 
all our visitors enjoyed themselves as 
much as these did, the fame of Meriden 
for hospitality and as a fine place to 
visit will be spread all over the land. 
For that matter, it is already throughout 
New England and the east as far as 
the newspapers can reach. The cele- 
bration has been very liberally report- 
ed, so that its glory is well known to 
most newspaper readers. If newspaper 
advertising pays, and we all know it 
does, Meriden will be handsomely re- 
paid for all it has invested in this cel- 
ebration in the way of money, labor 
and time. Any way it is viewed, it has 
been a grand success and highly credi- 
table in all its results to all connected 
with it. 



MERIDEN'S CIVIC SPIRIT. 
[Waterbury Republican.] 

All Connecticut takes an interest in 
the ceremonies that will this week 
mark the one hundredth anniversary 
of the town of Meriden, and pretty 
much all Connecticut will lend a hand, 
in one way or another, to the splendid 
celebration of the event. To the fame 
which this inventive and productive lit- 
tle commonwealth enjoys in the utter- 
most parts of the earth, the Silver City 
has contributed her part, and her sis- 
ter cities accord her full homage and 
bear toward her the family pride. 

That pride will be increased — has al- 
ready been increased immeasurably — by 
the splendid scale upon which she has 
planned to observe the interesting event 
at hand. It has never been equalled 
in the state and it has set a new stand- 
ard that will be hard for other towns 
to meet, however large, populous or 
wealthy they may be. A solid week of 
jubilation, with events so numerous 
and well distributed that no one day 
is better than another, make up a pro- 
gramme almost confusing to those who 
can afford the time for only a part of 
it and want to see and hear the best. 

Time was when ]\Ieriden and Water- 
bury were rivals in many ways but this 
city drew away with respect to concrete 
wealth and numbers, and we have been 
prone of late years to look somewhat 
patronizingly upon her from our posi- 
tion in the van. But let us admit with 
proper humility that she has now far 
•■•ntdonc us .-n civic spirit — th.-. thiig 



374 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



most of all to be proud of ; and let 
us confess that we failed dismally a 
couple of years ago to arouse sufficient 
interest here to observe, in any way, 
an event similar to that now marked so 
handsomely by Meriden. 

In her week of jubilee Meriden has 
the hearty congratulations of the Brass 
City and the hope that her celebration 
will add to her silver luster. 



The Meriden folks have an old and 
confirmed habit of "stickin' together 
like fun" ; please to notice the results. 



ALL ROADS LEAD TO MERIDEN. 
[Norwich Bulletin.] 

All roads in the state of Connecti- 
cut lead to Meriden this week and to 
that city all eyes will be turned. This 
is Meriden's centennial week and the 
exercises began in the churches Sunday 
with religious commemorative services 
and the week will be a week of festiv- 
ities and pleasure. 

The programme is so arranged that 
the veterans of the state, the firemen 
and the militia — in fact, so that every- 
body in the state who has the inclina- 
tion, the leisure and the cash may go 
to Meriden and find enjoyment. 

'Meriden is expecting 50,000 visitors 
this week, and it will not be surpris- 
ing if she has twice that number before 
the week ends. 

It is highly creditable to Meriden that 
she has taken time to plan and perfect 
her centennial celebration and there is 
no doubt that every day will be a good 
day, and that the whole will throw 
credit upon all who have been instru- 
rnental in making the programme attrac- 
tive or its carrying out a success. 

We agree with the Hartford Courant 
it is a pity that the farmer who sowed, 
plowed and reaped — serving God and 
the state in their generation — where the 
great factories now stand, could not 
have been amazed and thrilled by a 
vision of the times to come. To-day 
Meriden's name is known on all the con- 
tirients and in the islands of the seas. The 
things made in Meriden's factories go 
to the ends of the earth. The busy, in- 
genious, prosperous manufacturing town 
has been a credit to Connecticut these 
years past; a lesson and example also. 
The orator at the State street meeting 
(reported in the "Bigelow Papers"; 
said to his fellow whigs : 
"Only look at the Democrats, see wut 

they've done 
Jest simply by stickin' together like fun." 



MERIDEN'S GLORY WEEK. 
[Meriden Journal, June 12.] 

Another glorious day for Meriden's 
great celebration-made-to-order weather 
it might be called for the Grand Army 
parade and the other outdoor events. 
It was just suited, too, to the thousands 
of visitors who wandered through the 
streets and without discomfort saw all 
that was to be seen. No doubt the lov- 
ers of horse racing will flock to the 
trotting park in large numbers this af- 
ternoon to witness the speed contests to 
take place there. The unusual cool- 
ness of the weather is adding greatly to 
the pleasure of everybody who is tak- 
ing part in the exercises. 

Of the progress and success of the 
celebration only the most favorable re- 
ports are heard. No complaints come 
from visitors and our home people are 
well satisfied with the way affairs are 
moving. The various programmes are 
all being carried out as carefully ar- 
ranged, and the outlook is most satis- 
factory. All day and far into the night 
there is something doing to interest and 
entertain the visitors and add to the 
general enjoyment. Everybody seems 
to be having a good time and thus one 
most desirable end of the celebration 
has been attained. Its other benefits 
to this community are bound to be felt 
in due time if not just now, and they 
will be found to be invaluable. 



AUSPICIOUS OPENING. 
[New Haven Palladium.] 
Meriden auspiciously began the cele- 
bration of centennial week yesterday. 
Though Sunday was regarded as the 
first day, the large crowds and more 
general attractions made Monday the 
first day, in fact. It is to be hoped that 
the good weather will continue, +hat 
the crowds will grow greater and that 
the Silver City may reap every possible 
benefit from the week's festivities. Mer- 
iden has every reason to be proud of 
its history and may she add to that 
pride on her looth anniversary. The 
committees having the different pro- 
grammes of the celebration in hand are 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN, 



375 



all representative men who know their 
business and are doing everything pos- 
sible for the econifort of the visitors. 

With a realization of the great crowds 
that will attend the celebration a novel 
step has been taken in the establishing 
of a "Comfort House"' for the care 
of women and children. Trained nurses 
and maids will be in attendance there 
to look after the comfort of tired wom- 
en and children so that none such need 
fear to come without feeling that they 
will be carefully cared for. 

For the care of the general public a 
committee on "Public Safety" has been 
appointed who will watch every possi- 
ble avenue of accident or crookedness. 
While Meriden's centennial will be big. 
beautiful and enthusiastic, it will be 
clean and orderly in every respect. 



GOOD WISHES FOR MERIDEN. 

[Trumbull in New York Herald.] 

The town of Meriden is one of the 
most enterprising and progressive towns 
in the whole state. When it was orig- 
inally set off from the town of Wal- 
lingford, in order that those who lived 
in the Meriden parish might come the 
more surely into what was called their 
"ordinary rights, privileges and immun- 
ities," its people laid the foundations 
of the larger life that has come to it. 
At first numbered among the small 
towns of the state, it finally yielded to 
the industrial impulse and fashioned its 
future along those lines. To-day it is 
one of the stoutest cities in the state, 
and is known wherever human needs 
have made themselves known. Its men 
have taken a high place in the councils 
of the state and have been influential 
in shaping its destiny along higher lines. 
That it will begin its second century 
with every assurance of greater pros- 
perity is the prayer of the state. 



NEVER MIND THE RAIN. 

[Meriden Journal, June 14.] 

"Showers, J^riday." Let 'em come. 
They can't dampen Meriden enthusiasm, 
nor work great injury to the celebra- 
tion here. The big parades and out- 
door events have about all taken place, 
with weather seemingly made to order 
for them. Four such glorious days as 
we have had were enough to ensure the 



success of any affair of this nature. 
We can stand a little rain now. Only 
we should have liked fair weather to- 
morrow, Wallingford day, so as to 
make the visit of the friends from the 
mother town the more enjoyable. And 
there's that red-hot baseball game 
booked for Saturday afternoon. But 
that's two days off yet. 

However, we are sure a little bad 
weather won't prevent a great gather- 
ing here to-morrow of Wallingford 
people, although for that matter they 
have been largely in evidence all the 
week. But Friday is their day, and in 
their honor special exercises have been 
arranged. Meriden is proud of the fact 
that she sprang from such a fine old 
mother, and she hopes the blood rela- 
tionship will never be forgotten or that 
there will be any lessening of the warm 
feeling of affection that now exists. So 
let the borough be well represented 
here to-morrow, rain or shine, and let 
it be our duty to be even more hospi- 
table than ever. And may every one 
have a day of enjoyment, the memory 
of which will long be treasured. 

We cannot refrain from reprinting 
here an extract from a special report of 
the Meriden celebration which appeared 
in this morning's New York Sun, aa 
follows : 

"All doubt as to whether a staid 
New England town could keep up the 
pace for an entire week of carnival 
seems to have vanished. The populace 
and outsiders crowd the streets day 
and night and join in the rejoicings 
with the abandon of New Orleans at the 
Mardi Gras. There is something do- 
ing every minute and no one seems to 
be weary. The city has been eighteen 
months preparing for the Centennial and 
the doubting Thomases have all disap- 
peared. _ Some held out until to-day, 
but to-night they were shouting with 
the optimists." 

All true, every word of it. And we 
may add that the present outlook 
is that the celebration will not cost the 
town one penny ; thaat the town appro- 
priation made to pay expenses will not 
be touched. Indeed with two days more 
of decent weather we shouldn't be sur- 
prised if the Finance committee would 
be able to report at the clsoe a bal- 
ance on hand — to be applied of course 
to another Home Week jollification. 
Isn't that a splendid record? 



76 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



THE MEN OF MERIDEN. 
[Hartford Times.] 
Celebrating the centennial of its in- 
corporation, the town of Meriden is 
experiencing a succession of crowded 
hours this week. Recalling its cheer- 
ful yesterdays and facing its confident 
to-morrows, the community is mak- 
ing the most of to-day. 

By the end of the week the people 
of Meriden will be tired out. It's a 
strenuous seven days for them, a con- 
tinuous performances of events that col- 
lectively make up a seductive pro- 
gramme. But a town that has lived 
a hundred years and has kept forging 
ahead all the time doesn't mind a touch 
of healthy fatigue now and then. It 
Avill sleep all the better for it. 

Nature didn't do much for Meriden 
■except to distribute some attractive 
scenery through the outlying districts. 
The city has no great geographical ad- 
vantage other than being only eight- 
een miles from Hartford. It has no 
navigable stream ; it is provided with 
no great water power; it is rather 
-cooped up. And yet, starting out 
small, it has grown big. It has kept 
pegging away. It has made the most 
and the best of its opportunities. It has 
put hustle above hilarity, industry above 
inertia, the persevering life above the 
prodigal life. It has husbanded and ex- 
panded its resources instead of wasting 
them. 

The secret of Meriden's achievements 
and steady advancement has been Mer- 
iden's men. The personal equation has 
been the dominating influence. Other 
towns have set out with a great many 
more natural advantages than Meriden, 
but lacking the great captains of in- 
dustry who have made Meriden fa- 
mous, they have lagged behind while 
Meriden lias been jogging ahead. The 
whole state takes a kindly interest in 
watching Meriden show what it feels 
like to be a century young. 



MERIDEN'S looTH BIRTHDAY. 
[Meriden Journal June g, 1906.] 

Birthday anniversaries between the 
ages of four and thirteen are exciting 
events. After that they grow more fre- 
quent, seemingly, and their advent is 
hailed in a calmer spirit, until, indeed, 
they altogether cease to become wel- 
come. When we have attained to the 



respectable age of 100, however- we are 
no longer troubled by that modesty that 
earlier caused us to dodge the census 
man's questions, and we glory in our 
hoary crown of years. 

Seldom with more propriety to any 
town might the word "birthday" and 
other personifying terms be applied than 
to Meriden, for in the observance of her 
Centennial we are not to celebrate the 
discovery of rich beds of mineral 
wealth, or the development of great 
natural resources. Her only product of 
importance was her men. The men, in 
turn, produced her wealth, set her 
wheels turning, made her famous the 
world over as the seat of industries 
that bring the town to-day in touch with 
every corner of the civilized world. 

The Centennial next week will have 
fulfilled a great mission if it does noth- 
ing more than awaken an interest in 
the men whose energy, whose intelli- 
gence and whose integrity made Meri- 
den what she is to-day. This awakened 
interest will bring with it loyalty. No 
town may thrive unless her citizens are 
loyal ; no town has more reason to ex- 
pect loyalty from her people than has 
Meriden. 

Too much money expended in mere 
adornment is money thrown awaj'. There 
is no room in the minds of these people 
for sentiment. They keep their books 
too nicely balanced. But loyalty, grat- 
itude — aye ! even sentimentalitj^ — are 
greater and better than that spirit that 
asks of every effort, of every call for 
aid- ''What do I get out of it?" Throw 
out the streamers, unroll the flags ; you 
need not fear that your credit column 
will be overcrowded. Meriden has done 
more for you than you are likely to 
do for her, however willing you ma}^ 
be to strike a balance. 

In certain quarters there has been 
manifest a tendency to decry the Cen- 
tennial. There are always snarlers. The 
feeling of "smartness" that urges a man 
to speak evil of his town is not un- 
common. There are plenty who delight 
in befouling their own nest. On the 
whole, however, the people's response 
has been hearty and whole-souled, and 
the faultfinders and prophets of evil find 
themselves in that select circle known 
as "the minority." The success of the 
Centennial was assured weeks ago, but 
every day that has brought us nearer 
to the great occasion has made success 
the more certain, until now it looks 
as if nothing of human origin can pre- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



377 



A'ent the next week from being the 
greatest in the history of the town. And 
we think it will long hold the state 
record. 

We believe that the desire awakened 
in the minds of Meriden pepole to know 
more about their town and the men 
that made it will result in still greater 
progress. "The fathers" were men 
worthy of emulation ; their characters 
were such as to repaj^ the student to- 
day. Some of them will live again, 
next Saturda}^ and will aid in recalling 
from the past Meriden's great day, the 
day when, asssembled in the first town 
meeting in their history, they ratified 
the action of the General Assembty in 
making a town of Meriden parish. If 
some of the spirit that animated the 
men of 1806 shall be caught by the men 
of 1906, we need not fear for the future. 



THE MERIDEN HABIT. 
[Hartford Courant.] 

Meriden is a hundred years old ; Mer- 
iden feels grown up, responsible, ,as 
good as anybody, ''some pumpkins" ; 
this week Meriden is celebrating. A 
handsome picture the town makes in its 
glad clothes ; even strangers whirled 
through on the railroad trains admire, 
and ask questions. May the weather 
conditions this week be to Meriden's 
heart's desire; and all the other con- 
ditions, too. 

What a pity it seems that the hon- 
est old farmers, who sowed, ploughed 
and reaped — serving God and the state 
in their generation — where the great 
factories now stand, could not have 
been amazed and thrilled by 'a vision 
■of the times to come. To-day Meri- 
den's name is known on all the conti- 
nents and in the islands of the seas. 
The things made in Meriden's factories 
go to the ends of the earth. The busy, 
ingenious, prosperous manufacturing 
town has been a credit to Connecticut 
these years past ; a lesson and example 
also. The orator at the State-street 
meeting (reported in the "Bigelow Pa- 
piers") said to his fellow Whigs: 
"On'y look at the Demmercrats, see 

wut they've done 
Jest simply by stickin' together like 
fun." 

The Meriden folks have an old and 
confirmed habit of "stickin' together 
'like fun ;" please to notice the results. 

We hope all Hartford people who can 



will look in at Meriden's birthday party 
this week, and enter heartily into the 
spirit of it. It's a family affair. The 
older town and the younger are not 
only near neighbors — they are close re- 
lations. Nothing that concerns Meri- 
den's welfare and happiness can ever 
be alien to Hartford. 



CENTENNIAL LESSON. 
[Meriden Record, June 11, 1906.] 

It will be a long time till the next 
Centennial, so long that comparatively 
few of us will see it. Therefore, let 
us make the most of this one. 

And that doesn't mean getting the 
most out of it for ourselves in pleasure 
or profit. Meriden is celebrating this 
week not only events, but men, the 
strong men who laid and builded upon 
the foundations of the town's growth 
and progress. They and their work are 
now being brought strongly to our at- 
tention. 

Many of us, however familiar we 
may be with the results of these men's 
endeavor, have known comparatively 
little of the men, their characters- their 
industry, their energy and devotion in 
adding to the sum total of human 
achievements. In many respects we have 
fallen away from their ideals. In whole- 
hearted public spirit, in mutual helpful- 
ness, in that devotion to the public weal 
which scouts personal prejudice or pref- 
erence, and, so many times, personal ag- 
grandizement, we are not what the 
fathers were. 

And it isn't necessary to go back 
beyond the memory of many now living 
for an illustration to point the moral. 

In the comparatively recent days of 
Horace C. Wilcox. Isaac C. Lewis, Wil- 
liam W. Lyman, George R. Curtis, Lem- 
uel J. Curtis, when the public need cried 
for anything necessary to the popular 
w^elfare, it didn't take nearly so long to 
supply that need as it does now. 

Mr. Wilcox would summon all of the 
men who have been named about him, 
and would say: "Gentlemen, Meriden 
needs so and so. Now, if you will 
stand half the expense I will stand the 
other half," and — well, Meriden got 
what it wanted without any fuss or 
feathers. 

We need such men as these to-day, 
or we need that the men we have should 
strive unselfishly to be more like these 
brave, strong, great-hearted men who 



378 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



have gone before and, without whose 
efforts. Meriden to-day would have little 
to celebrate. 

So, we say, let us make the most of 
this centennial event, the most of the 
opportunity it gives us to learn what 
sort of men the fathers were, the secret 
of their success, and to inject into our 
daily lives as much as possible of the 
spirit that animated them. 

Few of us shall see the next cen- 
tennial, but all of us can learn from 
this one so to live that those who cel- 
ebrate one hundred years from now 
will have reason as gratefully to re- 
member us as we do not only the 
founders, but the builders of Meriden. 



PRAISES CHIEF BOWEN. 
[Meriden Journal, June i6, 1906.] 

From the bench in the Police court 
Judge Fay this morning praised Chief 
of Police Bowen and his men for the 
discipline and order they have main- 
tained during this week of immense 
crowds. His honor has been in a good 
position to judge of this fact for in 
addition to presiding at all the sessions 
of the Police court, he has seen the 
throngs in the busiest part of the city 
from his office in the Palace block. 

The judge marvelled at the good na- 
ture of the thousands of Centennial cel- 
ebrants and considered it surprising 
that there has not been more serious 
cases. He looked at the court records 
this morning and found that there has 
been only two more court cases this 
week than last and none was of a start- 
ling nature. Of course, this number 
does not include the many professional 
crooks who were gathered in by detec- 
tives and bundled out of town. 

It is whispered that the judge bought 
dinners yesterday for the two officers- 
Grady and McCarthy, who have labored 
so hard and faithfully around Meriden 
house corner all week. 

Inspector John Boyle, of the Spring- 
field, Mass., police force department, a 
detective who has traveled from coast 
to coast of the United States, speaks in 
the highest terms of Chief Bowen. And 
the other out-of-town policemen say the 
same. 

He thinks that the chief and his men 
have controlled the situation in great 
style and that Meriden people cannot 
give too much credit to the head of 
their police department. "One thing 
that I like about Chief Bowen is that 



he doesn't know it all, like the heads of 
niany departments I have met, and he 
is always willing to listen and learn." 
Inspector Boyle said. He considers it 
remarkable that there have not been 
more criminal cases and says it is due 
in a great measure to the system of 
running the crooks out of town the mo- 
ment they are spotted. It's like singe- 
ing a rat and letting him go to tell his 
fellows of it. 



OLD HOME WEEK. 
[Meriden Journal, June 9, 1906.] 

The Old Home week feature of Mer- 
iden's Centennial celebration was an af- 
ter thought. And a right good one it 
has proved to be. That there will be 
more like it is a certainty; let us hope 
it will prove an annual custom. It will 
bring back to the old home next week 
people from many sections who eagerly 
accepted the invitation to revisit former 
scenes and meet old friends and neigh- 
bors upon this festive occasion. They 
will find "little old Meriden" as lively, 
enterprising and hospitable as ever, and 
the)' will take pride in proclaiming their 
relationship to it and their affection for 
it. Their home-coming will increase 
their loyalty to Meriden and its insti- 
tutions and their rejoicings will have a 
stimulating effect upon the rest of us. 
They will bring gladness with them 
and they will take away with them to 
wherever they may go reports that can- 
not fail to be of the great future ben- 
efit to this community. Their sound- 
ing praises of beautiful, hustling ^leri- 
den will be heard far and wide. 

It was indeed a good idea to com- 
bine an Old Home week with our Cen- 
tennial celebration. It is sure to prove 
profitable as pleasurable. We'll enjoy 
it and the "homers" will enjoy it, and 
the memory of the good time we've 
had together this June will remain for 
-a long while to come. So we say, let 
us do so some more. Why not an an- 
nual Old Home week? It has been 
tried elsewhere in New England, always 
with most beneficial results. It'll be 
good for all of us, and it won't involve 
any great sacrifice of time or money. 
Meanwhile, a greeting from the heart 
to those who are coming back to the 
old homC' and may they find so much 
enjoyment and satisfaction that they'll 
want to stay a month instead of a week 
— perhaps for good, convinced that 
Meriden is reallv home. 



CEXTKXNIAL OF MliKJDKX, 



379 



DID GOOD WORK. 
[Meriden Journal, June i8, 1906.] 

The town and city ofBcials got back 
to work at their respective offices this 
morning after a badl}^ broken up week, 
and all were ready for business. 

Superintendent Burke received many 
compliments for the efficient work his 
street department men did during the 
Centennial. Superintendent Burke and 
his band of street cleaners were on 
hand ever}- morning at 4 o'clock and by 
7 the streets in the center of the city 
were cleaned in good shape, though bad- 
ly littered w'ith papers and confetti from 
the frolic of the night before. 

Strangers as well as Meriden people 
remarked upon the cleanliness of the 
streets, and their good condition was 
one of the things that made the cele- 
bration enjoj'able. It was certainly 
good work and well deserved the com- 
pliments bestowed on the department. 

The street department men will finish 
the work on Perkins street that w^as 
stopped by the Centennial and will then 
tackle the big job on Cook avenue. 



CLOSE OF THE CELEBRATION. 
[Meriden Journal, June 16.] 

Not a word of complaint; the rain 
held off splendidly. Five days of such 
unusually fine weather comes pretty 
near being the limit. Of course it 
would have been still better had this 
last day of our great celebration been 
blessed with clear skies, but we're sat- 
isfied. If we didn't need the rain others 
did. There's been so much success all 
along that one day of partial failure 
does not make us feel despondent. It 
is forgotten in the general rejoicing 
over what has been accomplished and 
enjoyed. 

Seemingly about all that remains now 
is to remove the beautiful decorations. 
Too bad, a prominent citizen remarked 
last evening, as he proudly viewed them, 
that they cannot be kept up right along. 
That would not be possible, of course, 
but the thought occurs that we can 
keep up right along the same spirit of 
civic pride which has been so much in 
evidence this wee'ic, and that will mean 
a great deal for Meriden. Not only 
keep it up, but manifest it more fre- 
quently. As we all know there is plen- 
ty of it here, but it is not on exhibition 
often enough. No need to wait for a 



Centennial or Old Home week cele- 
bration to show it, but let it be on tap 
every year, every week, every day, all 
the time. 

A great good has been accomplished 
this week aside from all entertainment 
and enjoyment features. The celebra- 
tion has been of incalculable benefit to 
the community in more respects than 
we have time now to enumerate. Not 
all in dollars and cents, either, which 
is the first view of so many. For this 
benefit we must be deeply thankful. And 
to those who brought it all about, to the 
men who have labored so hard and 
faithfully not only this week, but dur- 
ing the months of preparation, we should 
not hesitate to award a full measure of 
credit, even though they neither ask nor 
expect it. It was a big undertaking, 
and required a vast amount of labor. 
That we had the men capable of it and 
willing to do it proves the existence of 
that civic spirit of which we have heard 
so much of late. May it increase with 
the vears. 



DETECTIVES HERE. 

Owen Daly is one of the most de- 
ceptive men in the police business. No 
one, especially a crook, would take him 
for a detective. He is slight in build 
but many a man has found there is no 
superfluous flesh on his bones. He was 
a railroad man, and a good one before 
he became a member of the New Ha- 
ven police force and his rise in the de- 
partment has been rapid and well de- 
served. He has the reputation of be- 
ing one of the keenest men in the state. 
That is one reason why he has been 
detailed to this city during the Cen- 
tennial week. 

Detective James Ward is Daly's part- 
ner and many a good job they have 
pulled off in their line. He has not 
been many years on the New- Haven po- 
lice force and like his side partner his 
rise has been rapid and he always gets 
his men. 

Detective Sergeant Reid)^ of the Cen- 
tral office in New York, probably knows 
more crooks than any other man in this 
or any other country. He is feared by 
all of them and when he starts off after 
a man he gets him. It is only a short 
time ago that he returned from a long 
trip to Mexico and South America af- 
ter a crook and caught his man and 
brought him back to New York. He 



38o 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



early in his police life developed the 
detective instinct and while he was 
pounding the pavements he distin- 
guished himself by work and won the 
attention of his superior officers. He 
then rapidly forged to the head until 
he now holds the title of detective ser- 
geant on one of the best police forces 
in the world. While he has been in 
Meriden he has hustled many crooks 
out of the city. 

Inspector John Boyle of the Spring- 
field force has more the appearance of 
a well to do merchant in town after a 
line of goods than he does a detective. 
Tall and well made no one would take 
him for a detective and that is where 
he fools them. He has the reputation 
of being the best detective in the New 
England states. He knows the crooks 
but they do not know him and that has 
been manifest this week when some 
grafter was taken b\- the arm and quiet- 
ly told to get out of town on the first 
train. They always went. 

CENTENNIAL SPIRIT WILL BE 

KEPT UP. 

[Meriden Journal, June i8, 1906.] 

The great success of the Meriden 
centennial is certain to result in a de- 
mand for some sort of a celebration 
every year. The past week has done 
Meriden more good in giving it the 
reputation of being an up-to-date city 
than anything in its history and there 
will not be much difficulty in getting 
the right kind of people interested in 
plans to keep that reputation alive. 

One plan already proposed is to or- 
ganized a Meriden Fair and Old Home 
Week society, with the idea of hav- 
ing a fair and old home celebration for 
three or four days every year on the 
plan of the Danbury or Berlin fair. 

There is no question of the success 
of such an undertaking on the general 
lines of the Centennial. It is quite cer- 
tain that the success of the Centennial 
will warrant the building of a better 
trolley line through Kensington and 
Lewis avenues so that thousands of peo- 
ple could be landed at the park, with 
the greatest ease. With that kind of 
transportation facilities and good, live 
management, Meriden could have a fair 
that would bring thousands of dollars 
into the city and keep Meriden to the 
front as it now is. 

It is probable that as soon as the 



people get rested after their very stren- 
uous week the matter will be taken up 
and the plans formulated. The park 
owners, Messrs. Suzio and Butler, 
would undoubtedly take an active inter- 
est in such an afifair, for it would be 
profitable. 

ERIGHTEX THE CITY. 

Another proposition to keep up the 
Centennial spirit is to have the city 
lighted better, by arranging to have elec- 
tric banners, something on the line of 
the three big ones that were used dur- 
ing the past week, lighted every night 
so as to give the city a cheerful and 
lively appearance. 

It is proposed to ask the board of 
apportionment and taxation for a spe- 
cial appropriation for that purpose. If 
a suitable contract can be made with 
the electric light company it would be 
a great scheme and would without 
doubt meet the approval of every pro- 
gressive citizen in the city. 

CENTENNIAL SOCIETY. 

Still another centennial suggestion is 
that those actively identified with the 
big celebration, form the Centennial So- 
ciety club or association, for the pur- 
pose of giving, at stated intervals, some 
sort of an aflfair, the nature to be de- 
termined later, to keep up an interest 
in the Meriden matters and to hold the 
city where it belongs ; also to give 
those who have done the hard centen- 
nial work during the last year a chance 
to get together and enjoy themselves, 
for they didn't have much opportunity 
to do so during the past week. Oth- 
ers desiring to join the society could 
be taken in and a strong organization 
formed. 

CLOSING UP OF AFFAIRS. 

Executive Agent King of the Centen- 
nial committee was busy to-day closing 
up the affairs of the big Centennial cel- 
ebration. Mr. King said that by to- 
morrow morning all the seats would 
be out of the Town hall, and the hall 
would be in shape to be turned over 
to the contractors. According to the 
agreement with the Lines company, 
Chairman George M. Curtis of the Cen- 
tennial committee held possession of 
the hall from June 7 to 19 inclusive, 
and at the expiration of that time the 
building reverts to the contractors. 

Mr. King said it was a matter of 
congratulation tliat during the occu- 
pancy of the hall nothing occurred that 



CENTENNIAL OF MEKIDEN. 



381 



in any way damaged it in the slightest 
degree. During the entire Centennial 
week the care of the hall was a mat- 
ter of anxiety to Centennial officials, 
especially in view of the fact of the 
hard luck which Meriden has met with 
in the matter of destruction of all the 
halls, and one of the rules that w-as 
rigidly enforced during the entire week, 
was in the matter of smoking, which 
was strictly prohibited. 

COMMITTEE THANKFUL. 

Mr. King stated that in behalf of 
the committee, he desired to express 
cordial appreciation of the kindness of 
St. Andrew's church, St. Rose's church 
and St. Paul's church, and other 
churches and individuals in loaning the 
seats that were used in the hall during 
the week. At one time, it looked as 
if it would be impossible to provide 
sufficient seats for the hall, but like 
other difficulties, that was overcome. 

The thanks of the committee are 
also due to Chief Bowen for the prompt 
and efficient manner in which he co- 
operated with the committee in every 
possible way to preserve order during 
the entire week. 

Chief Lucas of the Fire department 
acted on every suggestion made to him 
that would in any way protect the city 
from loss by fire, and during the week 
very kindly detailed firemen to guard 
the auditorium whenever it was in use. 

ALL HELPED OUT. 

H. T. King said that during the 
whole six weeks that he was engaged 
on Centennial matters, he was assisted 
in every possible way by the citizens 
and all others, whenever a request was 
made of them, and frequently without 



any request being made. He further 
stated that no one who was not in 
close touch with the afifairs, could real- 
ize the immense amount of hard work 
performed by the members of the Cen- 
tennial committee, and the members of 
the sub-committees who for about two 
years have cheerfully given a large 
amount of their time and services in 
the effort to make Meriden's big cel- 
ebration the brilliant success that it 
was. He said that from his own per- 
sonal knowledge, he knew they met 
with many obstacles, and at times, 
were considerably discouraged, and the 
fact that they persisted in the face of 
these things, showed they had the true 
Meriden spirit within them, and had 
the courage born of a determination to 
make the affair a success. 

While it woulld be impossible to 
mention by name each member of the 
several committees, the entire credit of 
Meriden's great celebration was due to 
them, and he took off his hat to them 
every time. 

Mr. King stated that while in a 
measure the vast amount of hard work 
that George M. Curtis did, was real- 
ized and appreciated, yet in the years 
to come, it would be appreciated still 
more, and the thought and time that 
Mr. Curtis gave to this affair during 
some two years, would certainly cause 
him to occupy a still higher place in the 
estimation of the people of Meriden. 

To the newspapers of Meriden, the 
thanks of the committee are due for 
the great interest they have manifested 
in the celebration, and the willingness 
at all times extended to all the com- 
mittees to print any and all matters 
that would in any way proomte and 
help in the success of the Centennial. 



LETTERS OF REGRET, ETC. 



(Copy.) 

87 Wilson street, Brooklyn. N. Y., 
June 9, 1906. 
Mr. H. Wales Lines, chairman invita- 
tion committee, Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Sir : — I am in receipt of your in- 
vitation to the Centennial celebration of 
your city and I assure you that if my 
health will permit nothing would keep 



me from accepting the same, although 
for the past twenty-five years I have 
been a resident of an adjoining state. I 
have never forgotten the state in which 
I was born and spent the first half of 
my life, and I always have a home-like 
feeling whenever crossing the state, and 
it seems to me as though I could tell 
the moment the line is crossed, either 
on its northern or southern boundary. 



382 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



The associations centering about the 
last few years before I left Connecticut 
have always been remembered with 
much pleasure, the few who stood nobly 
together and in a feeble way assisted 
in carrying out your plan of putting one 
of Connecticut's honest men in the na- 
tional council never have had cause to 
regret the hours spent in the accomp- 
lishment of that object. The writer's 
acquaintance with Orville H. Piatt he- 
fore and after he entered upon his du- 
ties at the capitol were such that I can- 
not help feling that when his seat be- 
came vacant a loss was felt not only by 
the country at large,, but by everyone 
whose hand he had ever taken, and the 
state which he represented, as well as 
his own city, might well feel proud, rind 
it seems to the writer as if the fact that 
his face will not be seen, his hand shaken, 
or his voice heard, will be about the 
only thing that will be missed at your 
gathering during old home week. 

Trusting that every condition may be 
favorable to a successful carrying out 
of the entire celebration as outlined, if 
so that your city will long remember its 
anniversary of 1906 as one which was 
indeed an old home week. Thanking 
you for the invitation and again regret- 
ting my inability to attend. I am. 
Yours very truly. 

John A. Coe. 



(Copy.) 
Meriden, Conn., June 12, 1906. 
Editor Record : 

I ought not to object perhaps to be- 
ing called out of my name when the 
name is "Goodman," but really when 
in reading your paper, as I did ihis 
morning, and for that matter as I al- 
ways do when in Meriden, I discovered 
that in your list of people entertained 
at the Meriden House on Monday there 
was a Mr. S. W. Goodman and wife 
from Waterbury, and I felt quite sure 
it should have read for myself and 
wife, I felt like getting back at your 
scribe perhaps, for my writing so 
outrageously bad as to make it guess 
work on the part of whoever undertakes 
to read it. But let alone this introduc- 
tion. Is it not possible that an old Mer- 
idenite, who cast his lot before the war 
with your predecessors, and only left 
the Silver City in the late sixties may be 
able to furnish you with a little copy 
which in this time of especial reminis- 



cence will be readable. I came here in 
1856. One of my first pleasant expe- 
riences was to find my old playmate- 
schoolmate, Orville H. Piatt, located 
here as a lawyer. It was the renewal 
of a friendship which lasted through 
until death removed one of the noblest 
men I have ever known. What of Mer- 
iden as it was fifty years ago com- 
pared with what it now is? Much of 
what is now closelly built up city prop- 
erty was open lots. The tract known 
as New City was covered with a growth 
of scrub oaks, white birches and other 
indigenous forest trees. Now there is 
hardly a vacant lot to be seen. Driving 
into West Meriden from the west there 
were in those days two or three old 
fashioned houses, jjut for the most part 
lots were vacant. All that part of Mer- 
iden between West Main street and the 
Cathole, Kensington road, was open 
farm land. At about where now stands 
the Meriden and Waterbury depot was 
a sawmill pond on which I remember 
seeing the Rev. W. H. H. Murray and 
his wife skate. On State street where 
now stands the Meriden Britannia shop 
was a skating pond on which I myself 
remember skating, while I remember 
State street as the place where horses 
were trotted. The town hall was the 
place where all lectures and public 
meetings, political gatherings of both 
parties, and in war time the rallies by 
which the ranks of the Union army 
were kept filled found open doors. 

Here in the Meriden town hall Abra- 
ham Lincoln delivered an address which 
did much toward adding members to 
the Republican party, newly formed, and 
to strengthen the belief of those who 
had espoused that cause that they were 
right. After the meeting I was one of 
a favored entertainment committee by 
whom the prospective president was es- 
corted to the old hotel on the hill and 
what with stories, recitations, and the 
jovial interchange of pleasantries which 
Lincoln enjoyed as much as any one of 
the party, I remember to have passed a 
most enjoyable evening. Who were 
there? I wish I knew who of them all 
are living beside myself. Piatt, W. W. 
Lee, Captain Harvey, gone, and so to- 
day I wander up and down the streets 
on which I once knew nearly every one 
and realize that I am among strangers. 

But what has all this to do with the 
Meriden centennial? Who said it would 



CliNTKNNIAL OF MERIDEX. 



383 



1)6 a fizzle? My wife and myself were 
here last night and passed a unanimous 
vote that so far as decorations went 
and general appearances to outsiders it 
was bound to be a grand success. To- 
<lay I have seen the automobile parade. 
It was immense. The decorations in all 
the flowers that grow, making a display 
of such varieties of tastes as to be be- 
wildering but all beautiful, and to build- 
ers of and believers in the horseless 
vehicle it must have been a wonderful 
encouragement to note how perfectly 
manageable the things which are ac- 
cused of climbing trees and telegraph 
poles can be in a crowd. And the 
crowds of people. In places a jam, and 
all happy. And the Grand Army. The 
"Boys" getting old, you say. Well, they 
can march yet, and the music and the 
blue, and the carriage of the veterans 
to one who looks back to the time when 
before their locks had been touched by 
the frost of time they congregated and 
prepared to go to the field to preserve 
the union, who remembers where now 
is Hanover lake was the camping ground 
of cavalry, comes a moistening of the 
eyes. God bless them for what they did. 
Let us honor them and do what we may 
to make their remaining years pleasant. 
S. W. GOODYEAR. 

Stephen W. Goodyear, who is a res- 
ident of Waterbury, being an authority 
in the steel industry, is very well known 
in Meriden, in both a social and business 
wav. 



( Copy. ) 
Sibley, Iowa, June 9, 1906. 
Mr. H. Wales Lines, Meriden, Conn., 
My Dear Sir : — ^Words cannot express 
my appreciation of your kind invitation 
to attend the exercises of Meriden's 
Centennial. I haye always held a very 
pleasant remembrance of Meriden and 
her people during the many years since 
I last saw her. I have kept somewhat 
in touch with Meriden's growth and 
prosperity and I have rejoiced in it as 
much as her actual residents. It is now 
nearly half a century since I last saw 
jNIeriden, but I have not forgotten her 
surroundings or her people. It is with 
a keen regret that I realize that my ad- 
vanced age — "J" — will not allow me to 
be present during Old Home Week, to 
meet the friends of former days who 
still survive. It is with a feeling of 



sorrow that I realize that there will be 
many vacancies in the ranks of those 
who were residents of Meriden in the 
50s. To those who are left I can only 
say that I hope prosperity and happi- 
ness may be their lot for many years 
to come. 

Trusting that the fondest hopes of 
the people of Meriden may be realized, 
I beg to remain, 

Sincerely, 
JOHN McKINLEY, SR. 



(Copy.) 
New Haven, Conn., June 8, 1906. 
Mr. H. Wales Lines, 

Chairman Invitation Committee, 
Meriden, Conn. 
My Dear Mr. Lines: — I am in receipt 
of your very kind invitation to attend 
the Centennial Celebratio nand Old 
Home Week of Meriden. I certainly 
feel very highly honored in receiving 
your invitation, and assure you that if 
it is possible, I shall try and attend 
some one of the gatherings. 

Again thanking you for the invita- 
tion, I remain. 

Yours verv truly, 
R. S. WOODRUFF. 



(Copy.) 
United States Senate, 
Washington. 
George H. Wilcox, Secretary, 

My Dear Sir: — I shall make a special 
effort to spend one or more days in 
Meriden during the Centennial celebra- 
tion, but am not able to make a definite 
acceptance at the present time owing 
to the possible necessity of my pres- 
ence in Washington during what we 
hope will be the closing weeks of the 
present session. 

Sincerelv, 

M. G. BULKELEY. 
May 29, 1906. 



(Copy.) 

Mr. George M. Curtis, 

Pres. Centennial Committee, 

Meriden, Conn. 
W\ Dear Sir : — Please accept my 
thanks for your kind invitation for 
June loth to i6th and the programme 
of interesting exercises to occur at that 
time. While I cannot expect to attend 
all the many functions provided it is in 



384 



CENTENNIAL OF MEIUDEN. 



my hope and plans to be present at a 

number of them. 

Yours very trulv, 

O. VINCENT COFFIN. 



(Copy.) 
United States Ship Chicago. 
Rear Admiral Goodrich thanks the 
people of Meriden for their kind invi- 
tation for June loth to i6th and regrets 
that some three thousand miles of in- 
tervening distance prevent his accept- 
ing. 

Portland, Oregon, May 27. 



(Copy.) 
Mr. George H. Wilcox, Secretary, 

Dear Sir : — I accept with pleasure 
your kind invitation to attend the Cen- 
tennial celebration at Meriden, and I 
thank you. 

Very respectfully yours, 

ROSE BECKWITH TRACY, 
Regent A. B. F. Chapter, D. A. R. 
Jevvett City, Conn., June i, 1906. 



(Copy.) 

Department of the Navy, 

Washington. 

May 31, 1906. 
Captain Swift regrets that other en- 
gagements make it impossible for him 
to accept the invitation for the Cen- 
tennial celebration in Meriden and he 
is compelled to forego the pleasure of 
renewing at this time, the agreeable ac- 
quaintance made in February last. 
[Commander Battleship Connecticut.] 



(Copy.) 
District Attorney's Office, 
County of New York, May 23, 1906. 
Mr. George M. Curtis, 

President Centennial Committee, 

Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Sir : — I beg to thank you and 
the other members of the committee for 
your courtesy in inviting me to be pres- 
ent during the Centennial celebration 
and Old Home Week, commemorating 
the incorporation of Meriden as a town, 
June loth to i6th, 1906, and regret that 
engagements already made will pre- 
vent me having the pleasure of attend- 
ing. 

Sincerely vours, 
WM. TRAVERS JEROME. 



(Copy.) 
United States Senate. 

May 27, 1906. 
Hon. H. Wales Lines, 

Chairman Invitation Committee. 

Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Mr. Lines : — I thank you verj^ 
much for the invitation which I re- 
ceived to attend the Centennial celebra- 
tion at Meriden from June loth to the 
i6th, inclusive. 

I should like very much to be present, 
but there is no possibility of Congress 
adjourning by that time, so that I re- 
gret that I cannot accept the invitation. 
With kind regards, I remain, 
• Very sincerelv yours, 
FRANK B. BRANDEGEE. 



(Copy.) 
The Rev. Alexander Hamilton accepts 
the invitation of the Invitation Com- 
mittee and will be present from Wed- 
nesday, June 13, 1906. The Centennial 
celebration and Old Home week at 
Meriden, Conn. 
Dover Plains, New York, 
May 21, 1906. 

(Copy.) 

Committee on the Territories, 

House of Representatives, U. S., 

Washington, D. C, May 31, 1906. 

Hon. H. Wales Lines, 

Chairman, Invitation Committee, 

Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Mr. Lines : — I thank you very 
much for the invitation which I re- 
ceived to attend the Centennial celebra- 
tion and Old Home Week at 'Meriden 
from June lOth to i6th, inclusive. 

I should like very much to be pres- 
ent, but there is no possibility of Con- 
gress adjourning by that time and I re- 
gret that I will be unable to accept your 
kind invitation. 

With kind regards and best wishes, I 
remain. 

Yours very truly, 
EDWIN W. HIGGINS. 



(Copy.) 
Mr. George M. Curtis, 

Meriden, Conn., 
My Dear Mr. Curtis : — Thank you 
very much for the kind invitation to at- 
tend the ceremonies in Meriden during 
the Old Home Week. If conditions are 



CKNTENNIAL OF MERIUEN. 



385 



SO that I can, I shall certainly avail 
myself of the privilege of attending. 
Again thanking you for the invitation 
I am ver}- sincerely yours, 

GEO. L. LILLEY. 



tion and Old Home Week, June loth 
to i6th, 1906. 

Washington, May 21. 



(Copy.) 
House of Representatives, U. S., 
Washington, D. C, May 23, 1906. 
H. Wales Lines, Esq., 

Chairman, Committee on Invitations, 
Centennial Celebration, Meriden, 
Conn. 

Dear Mr. Lines : — Allow me to ac- 
knowledge receipt of an elegant souve- 
nir programme of exercises connected 
with the Centennial celebration and Old 
Home Week in Meriden. 

The entire programme of the week's 
doings is most attractive and charac- 
teristic of Meriden enterprise, good 
taste and public spirit. 

I exceedinglj' regret that my duties 
in Congress will prevent me from ac- 
cepting your very courteous invitation. 

With best wishes for Meriden and 
with personal regards, 

Most sincerely, yours, etc. 

E. S. HENRY. 



(Copy.) 
Engineer Office, L^. S. Army, 
Detroit, Mich., May 21, 1906. 
Mr. George M. Curtis, 

President Centennial Committee, 

Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Sir : — I have the honor to ac- 
knowledge the receipt of an invitation 
to attend the Centennial celebration at 
Meriden, Conn., during the third week 
of June, and regret very much my in- 
ability to be absent from my station at 
that time. 

Thanking you very much for your 
courtesy and hoping for the success of 
the celebration of which I entertain no 
doubts, I am 

Very sincerely, 
CHAS. E. L. B. DAVIS, 
Brig. Gen. U. S. A. 



(Copy.) 
The Attorney General regrets ex- 
ceedingly that engagements in Wash- 
ington prevent his accepting the kind 
invitation of the people of Meriden, 
Connecticut, to the Centennial celebra- 

25 



(Copy.) 
Mr. Cortelyou regrets his inability 
to accept the courteous invitation of 
the people of Meriden, Connecticut, to 
attend the Centennial celebration and 
Old Home Week, June loth to l6th, 
1906, commemorating the incorporation 
of Meriden as a town. 



(Copy.) 

The Secretary of War begs to thank 
the people of Meriden, Connecticut, for 
their kind invitation to attend the Cen- 
tennial celebration and Old Home 
Week, June loth to i6th, 1906, and 
greatly regrets that on account of the 
pressure of public business, he is unable 
to accept. 

May 21, 1906. 



(Copy.) 

Postal Telegraph Commercial Cables 

Cablegram. 

Katowitz, June 8, 1906. 
To H. Wales Lines. 

iMeriden, Conn. 
Regards. Success Centennial celebra- 
tion. 

CHARLIE SCHMELZER. 

(Copy.) 
Convent of Merc\% 
Middletown, Conn., May 25, 1906. 
Mr. George H. Wilcox, 

Secretary Invitation Committee. 
Dear Sir: — Your very kind invitation 
received with gratitude. While regret- 
ting that attendance at a public celebra- 
tion would be incompatible with the 
rules for a Sister of Merc\', I will nev- 
ertheless be with you in spirit through 
"Old Home Week," by earnestly pray- 
ing that the Great Author of all good 
may bless with ever increased prosper- 
ity the cit}^ of my early childhood. 
Yours in thankful sincerity. 
SISTER M. STANISLAUS. 



(Copy.) 
The Secretary of the Treasury is hon- 
ored by the invitation of the people of 
Meriden. Connecticut, to attend the 



r.86 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Centennial celebration and Old Home 
Week, June loth to i6th, and regrets 
that previous engagements prevent an 
acceptance. 

Washington, D. C, May 22, 1906. 



(Copy.) 
Waterbury, Conn., June i, 1906. 
Geo. M. Curtis, Pres. 

Centennial Committee, 

Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Sir: — Your invitation to attend 
the Centennial celebration and Old 
Home Week to be held in Meriden 
June 10 to 16, 1906, is at hand, for 
which please accept my thanks. I shall 
try to be in Meriden some time dur- 
ing the celebration. 

Very truly yours, 
WILLIAM E. THOMS, 

.Maj'or. 

(Copy.) 
"Chimney Butte Ranche," 
Fattig, P. O. Mont., June 4, 1906. 
Hon. H. Wales Lines, Chariman, 
Invitation Committee Meriden Cen- 
tennial, Meriden, Conn, 
^ly Dear Sir : — I received the invi- 
tation extended to myself and family 
to attend the "Centennial and Old 
Home Week," June loth to i6th, and 
thank you and the committee for your 
kind remembrance and it is with feel- 
ings of sorrow and genuine regret that 
I state that we cannot accept the same. 
After these twenty years' residence in 
Montana. I still love dear old Meri- 
den, my father's friends and those of 
niy acquaintance, and shall ever cher- 
ish them. May your celebration be a 
happy and grand success in every way, 
is my earnest wish. 

With kindest regards, I am. 
Sincerely yours, 
ELMER BELA CARTER. 



(Copy.) 
Connecticut State Librar}', 

Hartford, May 19, 1906. 
George H. Wilcox, 

Secretary Centennial Committee, 

Meriden, Conn. 
Dear Sir: — Please accept my best 
thanks for the invitation to your Cen- 
tennial exercises just received this 
morning. I wish to congratulate your 



committee upon the work thus far done. 
Having had an opportunity to see 
what several who are to take part up- 
on the programme are doing I am con- 
fident the anniversary must be a suc- 
cess. I hope to be present. 
Your sverv truly, 

GEO. S. GODARD, 

State Librarian. 



(Copy.) 
The White House, 
Washington. 
The President regrets his inability to 
accept the courteous invitation of the 
people of Meriden, Connecticut, to at- 
tend the .Centennial Celebration and Old 
Home Week, June TO-16, 1906. 



(Copy.) 
San Francisco, June i, 1906. 

Geo. H. Wilcox, 

Sec. Invitation Committee. 

Meriden,- Conn. 
Dear Sir : — I beg to acknowledge re- 
ceipt of invitation to attend the Cen- 
tennial celebration and Old Home 
Week, loth to i6th inst., Meriden. I 
would be pleased to avail myself of this 
occasion to meet some of my eastern 
friends and flee from the ruins of this 
city, but duty bids me stay here and 
help even in a small way to rebuild 
dear San Francisco. I thank you for 
this attention and trust that your cele- 
bration will be a success. 
Verv truly, 

ERNEST A. LEIGH, 
[Formerlv First Selectman.] 
81=; Shatwell St.' 



(Copy.) 
State of Connecticut, 
Executive Department, 

Hartford, May 22, 1906. 
To the Hon. H. Wales Lines, 

Chairman Committee on Invitations, 

Meriden Centennial, 
Sir : — I have the honor to acknowl- 
edge the receipt of 3'our cordial invi- 
tation to the Centennial celebration at 
Aleriden and to assure you how much 
I appreciate the compliment which you 
pay me in extending this favor. 

Wishing the celebration every suc- 
cess, which it deserves, and knowing 
from the names of the Meriden citizens 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



387 



noted on your programme that the ex- 
ercises of the week will be most enjoy- 
able events, for the success of which 
the whole state will extend its best 
wishes, which I also do personally, be- 
ing proud of the progress of the town 
and city since their inceptron and their 
standing to-day as among the most en- 
terprising of our communities, I beg to 
remain, 

Sincerely j^ours, 

HENRY ROBERTS. 



(Copy.) 



Daughters of American Revolution, 
Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter, 

Fairfield, Conn. 

Miss Kippen, regent of the Eunice 
Dennie Burr Chapter, Daughters of 
American Revolution, accepts with 
pleasure the polite invitation of the peo- 
ple of Meriden, Connecticut, to attend 
the Centennial celebration and Old 
Home Week, June loth to i6th, 1906, 
commemorating the incorporation of 
Meriden as a town, June 16, 1806. 



(Copy.) 

Cooperstown, N. Y., May 26, 1906. 
H. Wales Lines, 

Chairman Invitation Committee : 

Dear Sir : — Accept my most cordial 
thanks and appreciation for the invi- 
tation to attend the Centennial celebra- 
tion and Old Home Week, June 10-16. 
I sincerely regret that I shall not be 
able to be present. 

What a delightful, homey sound 
"Old Home Week" has. It is New 
England all through and inspires mem- 
ories of the days when the "Old Oak- 
en Bucket" (not the modern water 
wagon) brought us drink that was the 
most refreshing tipple on or in the 
earth. 

With a thousand good wishes, 
Faithfully yours, 

John' worthington. 



(Copy.) 
Urbana, 111., May 28, 1906. 
Mr. George M. Curtis, 

President Centennial Committee, 

Meriden, Connecticut. 
My Dear Sir:— I desire to acknowl- 
edge and thank you for the handsome- 
ly executed invitation which comes to 



me to attend the Centennial celebration 
and Old Home Week at Meriden, Con- 
necticut. 

The "Hanging Hills" remind me of 
my boyhood days, when I used to climb 
the hills occasionally. Meriden was 
my birthplace and 1 still have many 
friends there and have had during the 
years since 1858. 

It will not be possible for me to be 
with you at this time, but I wish to 
extend to you my heartiest congratula- 
tions upon the great growth and pros- 
perity of the city. 

Yours very truly, 
L. P. BRECKENRIDGE, 
Professor of Mechanical Engineering, 

University of Illinois. 



(Copy.) 
Faith Trumbull Chapter, 

Norwich, Conn. 
Mr. H. Wales Lines: 

Dear Sir : — The invitation from "the 
people of Meriden" to the regent of 
Faith Trumbull chapter, D. A. R., sure- 
ly merits a cordial thank you. It is a 
delight to be the recipient of such a 
dainty programme. I have seen those 
hills from the distance many times, but 
I never knew them as the "Hanging 
Hills of Meriden." I shall hereafter 
call them by name. And the wooden 
nutmeg! The idea is so clever and the 
reproduction of the original article 
simply fine. And between the covers 
there seems to be a programme ar- 
ranged for each day that offers very 
much that is full of interest and pleas- 
ure. 

Thank you for the invitation which 
the regent of Faith Trumbull appre- 
ciates as a mark of honor for the or- 
ganization. 

Yours very truly, 

ELLEN M. KTLBOURNE BISHOP. 



(Copy.) 

The Vice President, 

Washington, May 25, 1906. 

My Dear Sir: — I am just in receipt 
of the cordial invitation of Meriden, 
Connecticut, to attend the celebration of 
Old Home Week, commemorating the 
incorporation of Meriden as a town. 

I am very grateful for the invitation. 
My engagements, however, are such as 
to preclude the possibility of acceptance. 



388 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



Be good enough to accept for yourself 
and your associates my thanks for your 
courtesy and my best wishes. 

Very sincerely yours, 
CHARLES W. FAIRBANKS. 

Mr. George M. Curtis, 

President Centennial Committee, 
Meriden, Conn. 



(Copy.) 
Boston, Mass., May 28, 1906. 
Hon. H. Wales Lines, Chairman of 

Committee on Centennial Celebration, 

Meriden, Conn., 

Honorable and Dear Sir : — I am in re- 
ceipt of your very kind invitation to at- 
tend the Centennial celebration of the 
City of Meriden, Conn. 

I regret sincerely that appointments 
connected with the office will take me 
into other parts of New England at 
that time and am compelled therefore 
to forego the pleasure of rejoicing with 
you on the occasion of the Centennial. 

If the art discovered in the invita- 
tion is any indication of the spirit in 



which this Centennial will be observed, 
it is certainly assured that everything 
will be carried out in a spirit that has 
always characterized the growth of your 
beloved city. I need not add that I 
have held in high esteem the names of 
Horace C. Wilcox, Joel I. Butler, Lem- 
uel J. Curtis, I. C. Lewis, John D. Bil- 
lard and others, not a few of them of 
men living at the present time. They 
left an excellent record, and passed on 
a worthy trust, which seems to be ac- 
cepted in a spirit that gives promise of 
a larger and better Meriden than ever. 
That all will be realized that you are 
anticipating is the sincere wish of 
Yours truly, 
ASHER ANDERSON. 



(Copy.) 
U. S. Naval War College, 
Newport, R. I., May 20, 1906. 
Captain Sperry acknowledges with 
thanks the courtesy of the Centennial 
in sending an invitation to the Old 
Home celebration, but absence abroad 
\vill prevent attendance. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



389 



Some Centennial Old Residents 



MRS. NANCY PAYNE. 
Mrs. Nancy Payne, widow of Nelson 
Payne, resides at 60 Broad street. The 
house, where she lives, was built four 
years after her wedding day fifty odd 
years ago. Mrs. Payne was born in 
North Haven, December 24, 1820, being 
the daughter of Levi Brockett. She 
was married at nineteen and moved to 
Meriden with her husband, who was 
in the employ of Goodrich & Rutty, 
whose factory was on South Broad 
street. Mr. Payne was a tinsmith by 
trade. He died sixteen years ago last 
March. He had been a member of the 
board of selectmen in Meriden. There 
is one son, William A. Payne, and 
three grandchildren, Lulu, Percy and 
Ruth Payne. Mrs. Payne is a mem- 
ber of the First Baptist church, and 
one of the oldest communicants. Wil- 
liam Atwater is the only one whom 
she recollected as being a member of 
the church when she united with it. 
She is of Revolutionary descent, her 
grandfather, Enos Brockett, having 
served in the American army under 
Washington. 



MRS. JARED LEWIS. 

Mrs. Jared Lewis, of North First 
street is the "banner" old lady of 
Meriden. 

She was born July 15„ 1813, in 
the old Paddock homestead in the 
district now known as "over East." 
Her father was Samuel Paddock and 
her mother Mary Seers of Middle- 
town. The Paddock family is an old 
and estimable one in the community, 
connected with the Ives, Birdsey 
and other equally prominent fam- 
ilies. 

Mehitable Paddock spent her 
early life on her father's farm — and 
many and delightful are her remem- 
brances of her childhood. She was 
especially fond of the hills and in 
conversation now, will frequently 



talk of the beauty of that district in 
which she lived. 

There were in the Paddock family 
three children, of whom Mrs. Lewis 
was the youngest, Samuel PaddoclS- 
who died recently being the oldest. 

She attended the little district 
school which is still standing "over 
East" and remembered as her "best" 
teacher old Captain Collins, the kind 
old master who held her so often in 
his lap. Her dearest school friend 
was Angeline Pomeroy who married 
Eli Ives. 

The family were regular wor- 
shippers at the Center Congregation- 
al church, the "old Center church on 
the green," to which they drove in 
every Sunday in an immense carry- 
all. Mrs. Lewis in talking now about 
the church says they were fond of it 
because it was so large and roomy, 
the steeple with its clock was an ad- 
mired feature and the old bell, 
which tolled for every death, a con- 
stant reminder of the after life. 

In 1830 she was married to Jared 
Lewis, a clothing trader, who in 
partnership with his brother Pat- 
rick, did a thriving business in the 
itenerant peddling line. He was a 
brother of Isaac C- Lewis. The mar- 
riage was solemnized by Rev. Mr. 
Hinsdale, one of the early pastors 
of the church, in the Paddock home- 
stead. 

For a time after her marriage Mrs. 
Lewis lived in Wallingford on the 
North Farms, but later moved back 
to Meriden, whereshe has spent her 
long and honorable life. 

Four children were born to the 
couple, three sons and one daughter. 
Two of her sons were killed in the 
Civil war, one at Antietam, the oiher 
at Petersburg. These with ner pa- 
rents are buried in the cemetei-y on 
Hanover street. One son, Jared 
Lewis, of this city, and Mrs. Hull, 
of Washington, D. C, are still liv- 



390 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



For a woman who is within seven 
years of the century mark, the nono- 
genarian is a wonderful old lady. 
She takes care of herself, cooks her 
own meals and does a great part of 
her own housework. She refuses as- 
sistance in any way. 

She is very fond of seeing and 
talking with young people and has 
enjoyed exceedingly the visits of the 
members of the Congregational Sun- 




MRS. TARED LEWIS. 

day school. Although her frame is 
worn by suffering her mind is won- 
derful retentive and barring an 
occasional mistake in a date she can 
remember events in her life with re- 
markable accuracy. She receives 
many visitors who come to her to 
know about early Meriden- 



MRS. CATHERINE L. COE. 

Mrs. Catherine L. Coe, widow of 
Russell Coe, lives at 283 East Main 
s+reet, and is one of the oldest resi- 
dents in Meriden. She is a native of 
Middlefield and a daughter of Seth 
Birdsey. Alvah B. Coe. of Middle- 
field, is her nephew. The late Judge 



Levi E. Coe, of Meriden, was a cousin 
of her husband. Russell Coe died 
ten years ago last March. He had 
been a manufacturer of phosphates in 
New York and spent his winters there 
for many years. Mrs. Coe has lived 
in the residence which she now occu- 
pies since 1842, when her husband 
bought the property. 



MRS. BARBARA ARNOLD. 

Mrs. Barbara Arnold, widow of John 
Arnold, resides at 288 Curtis street, 
and is one of the oldest German resi- 
dents in Meriden. She is a native of 
Wertenberg, and was born in that city 




MRS. BARBARA ARNOLD. 

December 1, 1820. She came to the 
United States in 18.52 and has lived 
in Meriden .i4 years. Her marriage 
took place in Hartford, December 31, 
1S.")3, the marriage services being con- 
ducted by a German Lutheran church 
clergyman. The husband of Mrs. Ar- 
nold was also a native of Germany. 
He died in 1880, highly respected in 
the community. The children now 
living are Mrs. Mary Yauch, Mrs. Ade- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



391 



line Bock, Mrs. Eva Morse, Gustavus 
Arnold, William Arnold, Samuel Ar- 
nold and Charles Arnold. One mar- 
ried son, John Arnold, died five years 
ago, leaving a wife, Mrs. Amelia Ar- 
nold, who lives at 167 Curtis street. 
Mrs. Arnold is a member of St. John's 
Lutheran church, of which her hus- 
band was one of the founders. 



MRS. CLARISSA E. REDFIELD. 
Mrs. Clarissa E. Redfield is the 
widow of Horace Redfield, and lives 




MRS. CLARISSA E. REDFIELD. 

at 9() Curtis street. She was married 
October 1.5, 1847, and has been a resi- 
dent of this city since 1847, having 
come here a couple of years before her 
marriage. She is a communicant of 
St. Andrew's church. Mrs. Redfield 
was born in Guilford, February 28, 
1828. Her father was David Parma- 
lee, of Guilford. She is not able to 
attend church of late years, and but 
rarely leaves the house for visits with 
old friends. 



be seventy-four next January. She 
lives at 208 West Main street with 
her daughter. Miss Charlotte L. 
Yale, the well known artist. Mrs. 
Yale was Caroline M. Andrews, sis- 
ter of Mrs. Stephen Parker, and was 
born on her father's farm in Cheshire. 
She came to Meriden at an early age 
and has a very clear remembrance 
of this city in its early days. Mrs. 
Yale has a very large circle of 
warm friends and is one of Meri- 
den's older residents who occupies 
an enviable position in the communi- 
ty. 



MRS. STEPHEN PARKER. 
One of Meriden's oldest residents 
and one who took the deepest inter- 



MRS. CAROLINE M. YALE. 
Mrs. Caroline M. Yale, widow of 
Horace Yale, who died in 1895, will 



MRS. STEPHEN PARKER. 

est in Meriden's Centennial is Mrs. 
Martha M. Parker, widow of Stephen 
Parker, who will be seventy-nine in 
August. Mrs. Parker lives at 

214 1-2 West Main street, in the 
block owned by her son, S. Olin 
Parker. Her maiden name was 
Martha M. Andrews. She was born 
in Cheshire and came to Meriden as 
a young girl in 184 4 to teach school 
in the West district. The following 



39^ 



CliNTKNXIAL OF MERIDEN. 



year she married Mr. Parker and for 
years resided at 133 Warren street. 
She had three children, S- Olin Par- 
ker, Mrs. L. M. Booth of Grand 
Rapids, Mich., and Miss Nettie M. 
Parker, deceased. 

Mrs. Parker is a most charming 
lady whom no one would think to be 
near her actual years and she has a 
host of friends. She is the sister of 




MRS. MORIVA H. DAVIS. 

Mrs. Caroline M. Yale, also one of 
Meriden's best known old ladies. 



MRS. MORIVA H. DAVIS. 
Mrs. Moriva H. Davis, who lives 
with her son, Dr. C. H. S. Davis, 60 
Pleasant street, is considered the old- 
est resident of Meriden. She was 
ninety-five years old May 19, and is 
now in her ninety-sixth year. She 
was born in Sprinsfield, Mass., May 
19, 1811, and has lived in Meriden fifty- 
six years. Her husband. Dr. Timothy 
Fisher Davis, died in 1870. Mrs. Davis 
was the mother of the late .Judge Wil- 
bur F. Davis and of Mrs. Linus Bird- 
sey, also deceased. Her grandchil- 
dren are Wilbur F. Davis, jr., and Rob- 
ert Davis, sons of Judge Davis, and 



Henry Winter Davis, son of Dr. 
Davis. Barbara Davis, the daughter 
of Henry Winter Davis, is of the 
fourth generation. Mrs. Davis is 
finely preserved for a woman of her 
years and takes an active interest in 
every day affairs and events. 



MRS. ROXANNA G. BALDWIN. 
Mrs. Roxanna G. Baldwin, who lives 
at 01 Cottage street, is nearly 85 years 
old. In spite of a severe lameness 
from which she suflers she is out al- 
most every day in the year. Her 
husband, Linus Baldwin, died 26 
years ago. She was born in Meriden, 
September 25, 1821, being the daugh- 
ter of Eleazur Seovil. She is the last 
of her family. Mrs. Baldwin is a 



*;^% 




^^^ >^y 



J 



^IRS. ROXANNA G. B.\LDWIN. 

member of the First Baptist church 
in Meriden, and has always resided 
here. 

MRS. LUTHER BOARDMAN. 

One of the oldest visitors to the 

Centennial and a former resident of 

Meriden is Mrs. Luther Boardman, of 

East Haddam, who is ninety-one 



CENTEX \]AL OF .MEKIDEN. 



^'Ji 



years of age. Mrs. Boardman was 
born in Meriden, March 20, 1815, and 
was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. 
James Frary, her mother's maiden 
name being Ann Taylor, of Middle 
Haddam. Mrs. Boardman made Mer- 
iden her home untji she was able to 
work, when she settled in East Had- 
dam. Besides Mrs. Boardman there 
were three other children, one boy and 
two girls, and a^s she has always 




:\1R.S. LL'TMER BOARDMAN. 

called Meriden her home, she decided 
to spend the whole of Centennial 
week in this city and was registered at 
the Winthrop hotel. Mrs. Boardman, 
despite her age, is very spry and has 
always enjoyed the best of health. 
Mrs. Burton L. Lawton, of Lincoln 
street, is a grand-daughter of Mr. 
Boardman. 



MRS. CATHERINE BURKE. 

Mrs. Catherine Burke, who lives at 
302 1-2 East Main street, is one of the 
oldest representatives of the Irish race 
living in the city. She was born in 
Ireland 76 years ago, and came to the 
United States in 1848. Her husband 



was James Burke, who died here in 
1878. Mrs. Burke was married on 
the same day in the old Catholic 
church at the corner of Broad and 
Olive streets, with Mrs. Mary Flynn. 
Mr. Flynn was her brother, and the 
two weddings took place at the same 
time. The Rev. Hugh O'Reilley of- 
ficiated at the marriage service. Mrs. 
Burke has three children living. 
They are the Rev. Mother Berchmaus 
of the Convent in Middletown, and 
Edward A. and John P. Burke of 
Meriden. She is a member of St. 
Rose's church. Her husband was a 
native of Ireland. The sister-in-law 
of Mrs. Burke, Mrs. Flynn, is also a 
recognized representative of the Irish 
people of Meriden, and is thoroughly 




MRS. CATHERINE BURKE. 

esteemed by them. The children of 
Mrs. Flynn living here are John and 
James Flynn and Mrs. Peter Taylor. 



MRS. MYRA E. CLARK. 

Mrs. Myra E. Clark, who lives with 
her daughters, Mrs. John Rule, 104 
Cooke avenue, is among the oldest 
feminine residents of Meriden, having 



394 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



lived here for over fifty-five years. 

Mrs. Clark, who is well known by 
the older people of Meriden, was born 
in Mystic, March 13, 1837, and is 69 
years of age. In 1851 she came to 
Meriden to visit her sister, Mrs. Daniel 
Connell, and she liked the town so 
well that she decided to stay here, and 
secured a position at the Pomeroy 
shop in East Meriden. 






MRS. MYRA E. CLARK. 



Mrs. Clark, whose maiden name was 
Myra Guyant, was married in Meri- 
den in 18.50. Nine children were 
born to the couple, six of whom are 
still living. Mr. Clark died twenty- 
four years ago. Mrs. Clark has al- 
ways enjoyed the best of health. She 
is a life member of the W. C. T. U. 
and the Political Equality club, and 
also a member of St. Paul's church. 



MRS. SOPHIA HALL COE. 
Mrs. Sophia Hall Coe, widow of 
Judge Levi E. Coe, was born in Middle- 
field. April 6, 1829, and is in her sev- 
enty-eighth year. She was the daugh- 
ter of Harley Hall and has a Revolu- 
tionary lineage. Two of her ancestors 



on her mother's side, Sylvanus Cone, 
of East Haddam, and Ensign Gideon 
Ackley, were both in the war for In- 
dependence. Mrs. Coe was the first 
regent of the D. A. R. in Meriden, 
holding the office for two years. She 
is the honorary regent of Susan Car- 
rington Clarke chapter at the present 
time. Her marriage to Judge Coe 
took place at the home of her father 
in Middlefleld, November 27. 1851, and 
was a society event in Middlefleld cir- 
cles. Mr. and Mrs. Coe became resi- 
dents of Meriden in 1853, and through 
a period of flfty years were active in 
the social and literary life of the city. 
Judge Coe was prominent in politics 
and a citizen of high civic ideals. His 




MRS. SOPHIA H.\LL COK. 

death occurred November 2, 1903. Mrs. 
Coe is domiciled at the Meriden House, 
her old home on Colony street, having 
been given up. She has no family, 
her only two children having died in 
tender years. She is a woman of at- 
tractive social traits and has long 
adorned Meriden society. She has 
superior literary instincts and has 
written a work of genealogical inter- 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



395 



•est under the title, "Hall Memoranda." 
It was published in 1902 and is a 
model of research, tracing the ances- 
try of the Hall and Cone families. 

MRS. PAULINE M. HULL. 

Mrs. Pauline M. Hull, widow of Se- 
lah A. Hull, a Meriden stock broker, 
was born in Simsbury, April 13, 1837. 




MRS. PAULINE M. HULL. 

Her husband, who was a brother of 
John R. Hull and Hobart C. Hull, died 
in February, 1904. Mrs. Hull is iden- 
tified with the Universalist church in 
Meriden and is a member of its Ladles' 
society. The only doughter, Louise 
M., is the wife of George W. Fairchild, 
son of Vice President Fairchild, of the 
H. Wales Lines company. Mr. Fair- 
child was engaged in the stock broker- 
age business with Selah A. Hull and 
has continued it since the latter's 
death. Mrs. Hull has two brothers, 
George M. Phelps, of Hartford, and 
John Phelps, of Simsbury. 



would believe that Mrs. Pelton had 
quaffed copiously of its rejuvenating 
waters. Picture to yourself an old 
lady, looking scarce seventy years, 
almost six feet tall, straight as a strip- 
ling, with eyes bright as a school 
girl's and manner as alert, and you 
will find it hard to believe she is 
ninety-three years old. The subject 
of this sketch was born In Middle- 
town, Conn., October 9, 1812. To be 
born in the year of tne second war 
with England is a distinction In itself, 
and there is no danger that she will 
forget her birth year, a not uncom- 
mon happening with people who have 
lived so long, especially women. Her 
father was Samuel Cotton and her 




CAROLINE A. PELTON. 
If there were such a thing as the 
fountain of perpetual youth, one 



-MRS. CAROLINE A. PELTOX. 

mother Annie Powers. The life of a 
child in those days was uneventful 
and happy, spent in assisting the pa- 
rents with the many farm duties, and 
Mrs. Pelton's girlhood was no excep- 
tion. 

She was married when nineteen 
years old to the George Pelton who 
was a captain of a scnooner sailing 



396 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



between Middletown and New York 
on the Connecticut river. It is a 
charm against ennui to hear Mrs. Pel- 
ton tell of the quaint way of travel- 
ing in those days; how rne captain 
would wait for a good wind to help 
him on the journey to iNew York. Of 
course, on a calm day the schooner 
would not leave port, anu when by 
the help of Aeolus the Doat was start- 
ed it took four days to reacn Its des- 
tination. It would take columns of 
space to repeat the amusing anecdotes 
told by Mrs. Pelton aoout her many 
experiences on the river boats. 

Mr. Pelton was drowned at Hell 
Gate while on duty. A treasure owned 
by Mrs. Pelton is some old spoons, 
hammered and designee oy her fa- 
ther, who was a silversmith and jew- 
eler. In those days, the jeweler made 
all his own spoons, and these are of 
very quaint workmanship. 

Mrs. Pelton had eight children, 
three of whom are living, Mrs. W. W. 
Wheeler, of 33 Randolph avenue, 
where the aged lady lives; Mrs. 
Frank Wheeler and Airred Pelton, of 
Cold Springs, N. Y. Her oiaest great- 
grandchild is Margaret Robinson, of 
this city, sixteen years old. 

Mrs. Pelton has been a regular at- 
tendant at the Episcopal church until 
within a few years ago, when it was 
deemed advisable that she should not 
exert herself so much, and now she 
does not leave the house at all. 
When asked if she had seen the Cen- 
tennial decorations and displays, Mrs. 
Pelton said she had not but she 
would certainly try to get down town 
some time during the week. "You 
know, I am slightly deaf," she said, 
"and I do not hear as mucn about it 
as I should otherwise, but from what 
I understand it is going to be a fine 
thing." 

MRS. GRACE B. PARKER. 
Mrs. Grace B. Parker, widow of Rev. 
John Parker, of the Methodist Episco- 
pal church, was born in Meriden, De- 
cember 16, 1830. She was the daugh- 
ter of Orrin Belden and her birthplace 
was within a stone's throw of her pres- 
ent home, 229 East Main street. She 
was married to Mr. Parker in this res- 
idence .January 22, 1868. Rev. Mr. 



Parker, who died June 21, 1892, was 
deeply interested in Meriden. He 
started the First Methodist church here 
in 1843. He was raised in Harmony 
lodge, F. & A. M., of New Britain, De- 
cember 11, 1838, and became a charter 
member and first worshipful master of 
Meridian lodge, of Meriden. He was 
also a member of St. Elmo command- 
ery, Knights Templar. He was active 
in the interests of Odd Fellowship in 
this city. He was born in Cheshire, 
August 30, 1805. His father, Stephen 
Parker, was in the Revolutionary 
army. After his discharge he walked 
home from New York to Cheshire 
Street in the dead of winter. Mrs. 
Parker is a member of the First 
Methodist church in Meriden. Her 
only brother, James E. Belden, of Mer- 
iden, died a number of years ago. She 
has one sister living, Mrs. Mary Higley 
widow of Erastus Higley, of Meriden. 
Her home occupies one of the most 
noticeable sites on East Main street. 



MRS. LOUISA C. HULL. 

Mrs. Louisa C. Hull, widow of John 
C. Hull, was born in Meriden, Jan- 
uary 13, 1830. She was the daughter 
of Ezra Rutty, of the old-time firm of 
Goodrich & Rutty, well-known tin 
manufacturers in South Meriden in 
their day. At the age of thirteen 
Mrs. Hull united with the First Bap- 
tist church, with which her father 
was prominently identified, being 
the treasurer of the Sunaay school un- 
til the time of his death in March, 
1887. Mrs. Hull was married in Sep- 
tember, 1861. Her husband, who was 
in the grocery trade with Norman 
Hall, under the firm name of Hull & 
Hall, died in 1862. There is one son. 
John K. Hull, who has been a travel- 
ing salesman for Parker Brothers for 
years. Mrs. Hull has one grandchild, 
Harold Hull. After the death of her 
husband, she returned ro the home of 
her father, living with him during 
the remainder of his life. Mr. Rutty, 
the father of Mrs. Hun, bought the 
parsonage that had been used by two 
pastors of the First Baptist church, 
the Rev. Messrs. Miller and C. E. 
Cordo, and by the pastor of the Cen- 
ter Congregational church, the Rev. 
Joseph J. Woolley, and spent his last 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



397 



years there. It was during this peri- 
od that the name of Goodrich & Rut- 
ty was changed to Rutty & Ives. Mr. 
Rutty was one of the first Odd Fellows 
in Meriden, and was secretary and 
treasurer of Pacific lodge for years. 
Since his death Mrs. Hull has occupied 
the home, which he left, 335 Curtis 
street. She is connected with the 
Baptist societies in the city. She is 
the sister of Mrs. William B. Ives, 
whose husband is the owner of the 
Meriden house property. 

MRS. JULIETTE Y. CURTIS. 
Mrs. Juliette Y. Curtis is the widow 
of Asahel H. Curtis, who was treasur- 
er of the Meriden Savings bank at the 
time of his death, July 23, 1877. Mr. 
Curtis had been postmaster and city 
treasurer. His death occurred sud- 
denly in the bank of which he had 
been the treasurer eleven years. Mrs. 
Curtis was born in Wallingford, Feb- 
ruary 19, 1822 and was the daughter of 
Charles Yale. She was married to Mr. 
Curtis in Meriden sixty-five years ago. 
Rev. Dr. Everest, rector of St. An- 
drew's church, officiating at the mar- 
riage services. Mrs. Curtis is a 
communicant of St. Andrew's. She 
is of Revolutionary stock and a well 
known representative of the Yale fam- 
ily, founders of Yalesville. Charles 
B. Yale, G. Selden Yale and George H. 
Yale, of Wallingford are nephews of 
Mrs. Curtis. Her husband's family 
was prominent in Meriden affairs and 



Curtis street was named in honor of 
them. Mrs. Curtis is in her eighty- 
fifth year. 



MRS. HANNAH BOWE. 

Mrs. Hannah Bowe is a life long 
resident of Meriden. Born in Mid- 
dletown, March 23, 1833, she came 
to this city in her childhood and 
has lived here since. 

She is the widow of Austin Bowe, 
the pioneer carriage manufacturer 
of the Silver city and still retains an 
interest in the business now carried 
on by her sons, Wallace F. Bowc 
and H. W. Bowe. 

Mrs. Bowe is a wonderfully well 
preserved old lady and possesses a 
fund of stories concerning Meriden 
in the thirties. Her brother-in-law, 
Henry Bowe, was at one time pro- 
prietor of the old Meriden tavern, 
and her consequent intimate connect- 
ions with the people who came and 
went from the old hostlery gave her 
an experience rich in anecdote. 

Her home was for many years in 
the Carpenter homestead on East 
Main street, and later she lived in 
the Wilcox place on Broad street, 
old landmarks of the city. 

Mrs. Bowe is extremely active for 
a person of Her years. She frequent- 
ly walks from her son's home on 
Reservoir avenue to the center and 
back. She was very much interested 
in Meriden's Centennial and took in 
every event of the great week she 
could. 



398 CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 

TREASURER'S REPORT. 



Dr. 

Received from Subscriptions $1,030.00 

Received from Town of Meriden 1,500.00 

Received from Official Programmes 2,077.00 

Received from Pure Food Exhibit 786.64 

Received from Miscellaneous 53442 

Received from George H. Yeamans, Auditor: 

Religious Committee $ 24.00 

Licenses and Privileges , 1,830.57 

Colonial Ball 1,440.00 

f^iblicity and Souvenirs 447.50 

Badges and Invitations 222.75 

Commission on Century of Meriden 1,091.89 

Alusic and Public Entertainment 632.71 

First Town Meeting 308.86 

Y. M. C. A. Sports 104.03 

(General Athletic Sports (Baseball) 268.35 

Eadies' Reception and Entertainment 97-48 

Loan Exhibit ' 280.67— $6,748.81 

$12,676.87 
Or. 

Paid for Music $1,286.08 

Paid for Decorations 1,915.1 1 

Paid for Entertainment 2,650.00 

Paid for Town Hall 921-97 

Paid for Advertising 934.48 

Paid for Invitations 840.35 

Paid for Printing 1,840.71 

Paid for Programmes 685.00 

Paid for Fireworks 150.00 

Paid for Miscellaneous 1,106.19 

Cash on hand 346-38 

$12,676.87 
Respectfully submitted, 

Floyd Curtis, Treasurer. 
Meriden, Conn., December i, 1906. 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 



399 



TABLE OF CONTENTS, 



Authorized by Town Meeting 
General Committees 
Origin of Centennial 
Snb-Conimittees . 
Programme for Week 
Commemoration Poem 
Centennial Greeting (poem) 
Financing Celebration 
Opening of Old Home Week 
Sunday Observances, June lO 
INIonday, June ii. Opening Day 
Tuesday, June 12, G. A. R. Day 
Wednesday, June 13, Labor Day 
Thursday, June 14, Military Da\ 
Friday, June 15, Wallingford Day 
Saturday, June 16, Incorporation Da 
Centennial Comfort Houses . 
Loan Exhibit .... 
Old Home W'eek Visitors 
Press Comments. Letters of Regrets, etc 
Some Old Centennial Residents 
Treasurer's Report 



Page. 

3 
4-11 
12-14 
15-33 
34-35 
46-49 

50-52 

54-57 
58 

59-87 
88-98 
99-160 
161-188 
189-215 
216-284 
285-352 
353. 354 
355-363 
364-369 
370-388 

389-397 
398 



400 



CENTENNIAL OF MERIDEN. 




CURTIS MEMORIAL LIBRARY. 



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